Nationwide lockdown extended by two weeks with effect from May 4
Amid coronavirus outbreak, the nationwide lockdown has been extended for a further period of two weeks with effect from May 4. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday issued an order under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 to further extend the Lockdown till May 17.
In red zones, outside containment zones, certain activities are prohibited in addition to those prohibited throughout India. These include plying of cycle rickshaws and auto-rickshaws; taxis and cab aggregators; intra-district and inter-district plying of buses and barber shops, spas, and saloon.
Meanwhile, a limited number of activities will remain prohibited across India, irrespective of the zone, including travel by air, rail, metro, and inter-State movement by road; running of schools, colleges, and other educational and training/coaching institutions. In Orange Zones, in addition to activities permitted in Red Zone, taxis and cab aggregators will be permitted with 1 driver and 1 passenger only.
Likewise, in Orange zones, inter-district movement of individuals and vehicles will be allowed for permitted activities only. Four-wheelers will have a maximum of 2 passengers besides the driver and pillion riding will be allowed on two-wheelers. The liquor stores and paan shops will be allowed to function in green zones while ensuring minimum six feet distance (2 gaz ki doori) from each other and ensuring that not more than 5 persons are present at one time at the shop.
A large number of other activities are allowed in the Red Zones. All industrial and construction activities in rural areas, including MNREGA, works, food-processing units and brick-kilns are permitted.
Shops in urban areas, for non-essential goods, are not allowed in malls, markets and market complexes. However, all standalone shops, neighborhood shops and shops in residential complexes are permitted to remain open under fresh MHA guidelines. Meanwhile, OPD services at hospitals to be allowed in all zones.
The Green-Zones will be districts with either zero confirmed cases till date; or, no confirmed case in the last 21 days. The classification of districts as Red Zones will take into account the total number of active cases, doubling the rate of confirmed cases, the extent of testing, and surveillance feedback from the districts.
Also Read | Three Punjab districts fall in COVID-19 red zone; Here’s the full list of state-wise classifications of districts
Those districts, which are neither defined as Red nor Green, shall be classified as Orange zones. The classification of districts into Red, Green and Orange Zones will be shared by MoHFW with the States and Union Territories (UTs) on a weekly basis, or earlier, as required.
-PTC News
