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Lockdown 4. 0 Guidelines- What do we need to know?

Lockdown 4. 0 Guidelines- What do we need to know?

Lockdown 4.0 Guidelines- What do we need to know?

While the number of cases in India has surged to a number above 95000 and counting,  this global pandemic is spreading drastically and the cases in India are going out of control, amidst the Government has remained stable over its decision that “staying in-home quarantine, maintaining a safe distance and sanitizing frequently” is the only option available for safety until & unless a certain medication is innovated to cure the disease.

With this ulterior motive, the Government after wide discussions with the Chief Ministers of all the states has decided to extend the lockdown in the fourth tranche in a row from 17.05.2020 to 31.05.2020 taking care of all the outcomes of the Government actions can have on the population. The government has provided certain relaxations in the guidelines subject to certain conditions.

Following guidelines have been issued-

 List of Activities which shall remain prohibited-

1. All the Domestic, as well as International Air travel of passengers, will be prohibited except  domestic air travel for the purpose of medical services, domestic air ambulance & security purposes or for any other purpose  permitted by the Ministry Of Home Affairs;

2. Metro Services;

3. All Educational Institutions like schools/colleges, training, or coaching institutes shall be closed and encouragement to online learning should be given during the period.

4. Hospitality services like Hotels, Restaurants & others will remain closed except those giving services to-

o    Housing health

o    Police/Government Officials

o    Healthcare workers

o    Stranded Persons including tourists for quarantine facilities

o    Running canteens at Bus depots/ Railways stations/ Airports etc.

o    Restaurants are allowed to operate kitchens for home delivery  of food items in green & orange zones;

5. Public places like Cinema Halls, Shopping Malls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainments Parks, Theatres, and Bars & Auditoriums, Assembly Halls and other similar places;

Sports complexes and stadiums will be permitted to open, but spectators shall not be allowed to be physically present there.

6. Any Social/political/sports/entertainment/academic/cultural or religious gathering and large congregation will be strictly prohibited.

7. All religious places of worship shall be closed during lockdown for public.

Activities Allowed in containment Zones

1.    Movement of Passenger vehicles & buses from one state to other state with the consent of the States/UTs  involved;

2.    Movement of Passenger vehicles & buses within the state as decided by the States/UTs;

3.    The Standard Operation Procedure(SOP) shall continue to remain in effect for the purpose of movement of persons;

The distinction of  Areas into RED, ORANGE & GREEN Zones-

•    The identification of areas into Red, Orange & Green shall be decided by the respective  State /UT Governments after taking into consideration the parameters shared by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoFHW).

•    Within the Red& Orange Zones, the containment & Red zones shall be decided by the District Authorities depending upon the guidelines issued by MoFHW, the Government of India.

•    Only essential activities are allowed in the containment zones and strict parameters  will be followed to ensure that no one moves out/in the containment zones

•    Further steps like intensive contact tracing, house to house surveillance, and other clinical interventions will be practiced in such areas.

Provision of Curfew At Night-

To ensure that there is the least movement possible in the night,  a curfew has been levied( S.144 Crpc) in the night where no movement shall be allowed between 7 pm till 7 am in the morning.

Strict Protection Measure for Vulnerable People-

Persons above the age of 65 years of age, persons with co-morbidities, pregnant women, and children below the age of 10 years will not be allowed to step out of their home except for essential purposes.

Relaxation  Provisions-

All the activities other than specifically prohibited activities shall be allowed however the State/UTs shall have the power to impose more restrictions as deemed necessary.

The Arogya Setu App-

Encouragement to the use of the Arogya Setu App which will help to detect potential risk to infection and safety from the communication of the disease. Thus, in workplaces & offices, employers shall encourage employees to install the app on their phone.

Directions to ensure movement of persons & goods in certain areas-

i.    All States/UTs shall allow the Inter-state & Intra-state movement of essential goods/cargo including empty trucks, medical staff, sanitation personnel & Ambulances without any restriction.

ii.    The State/UTs should allow the movement of any type of goods/cargo for cross-border trade under the Trade under treaties with neighboring countries.

National Directives for Management of Covid-19

 In order to ensure that adequate safety measures are adopted by the citizens of India, certain directives have been issued under the Disaster Management Act 2005 violating which shall attract penalty as well as stringent punishment under the Act-

a.    Wearing masks/face cover shall be compulsory at work & public places;

b.    Spitting in the workplace or public place will be an offense punishable with fine as may be prescribed in accordance with laws/rules laid down by states/UTs or local authority;

c.    Social Distancing norms shall be followed by all persons in public places and public transports;

d.    Gatherings related to marriage ceremony shall not involve more than 50 people and that too while taking measures of social distancing;

e.    Rites related to funeral/last rites should not involve more than 20 persons while ensuring social distancing;

f.    Consumption of liquor/pan/gutka/tobacco in public places is not allowed.

g.    Shops allowed to open during lockdown should ensure that the customers stand at a distance of six feet from each other and should not allow more than five persons at a time.

Directives to be followed at Workplaces-

a.    As far as possible the work from home should be practised;

b.    Workplaces should ensure health & safety of workers through thermal scanning, hand wash, sanitizer at the entry & exit points and common areas;

c.    Frequent sanitizations shall be practiced at the entire workplace, common facilities, and all points that come into human contact e.g. door handles.

d.    Persons in charge of the workplace shall ensure social distancing is practiced in the office by providing safe distance between workers, gaps between shifts, staggering lunch breaks of staffs, etc.

Penalties prescribed-

1.    Penalty for obstruction to Public Officer/ Government-

Whoever without a reasonable cause –

i.    Obstructs any officer/employee of the Central Government / State Government, or a person authorized by the National Authority/State Authority, or a person authorized by the National /State/District Authority in the discharge of their duty; or

ii.    Refuses to comply with any direction given or on behalf of the Central Government or State Government or the National/State Executive Committee of the District Authority under the Act; shall be liable to imprisonment up to a term which may extend up to one year or with fine or with both; or

Where such obstruction has resulted in the loss of lives in imminent danger shall on conviction be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend up to two years.

2.    Penalty for making any False Claim-

Whoever knowingly makes a false claim which he knows or has the reason to believe that it is false for obtaining any relief from any government authority shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend up to two years and fine or both.

3.    Penalty for Misappropriation of funds/goods/ materials e meant for relief purpose-

Whoever is entrusted with any money, materials, or otherwise being in the custody of or dominion over any money or goods meant for providing relief in any threatening disaster misappropriates or appropriates for his own use goods or uses the money/materials or any part thereof shall be liable for punishment which may include imprisonment up to 2 years and fine.

4.    Punishment for false warning-

Whoever makes or circulates a false alarm or warning as to disaster or its severity or magnitude, leading to panic among people shall be liable to imprisonment which may extend up to 1 year with a fine.

Author:

eStartIndia Team



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