New Delhi: The nationwide lockdown has been extended until 31 May, but this time a few more relaxations have been granted.
According to the new set of guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs Sunday, the government has allowed all activities except those “specifically prohibited”.
This would mean shops — including those selling non-essential items such as electronics, garments and others — will open, except in malls and containment areas. Services of beauty parlours and salons too can resume.
All restaurants and bars will remain closed for dining in, but can start home delivery of food.
Sports complexes have been allowed to reopen, but without any spectators. This means events like the Indian Premier League can be staged but with no people in attendance.
Public transport and goods
Intra-state movement of passenger vehicles and buses has also been allowed, at the discretion of the state governments.
The government has allowed inter-state movement of people in private vehicles and buses, but “with mutual consent of states involved”. This means each of the states and union territories will have to announce their consent to allowing such movement.
“For buses going to, say UP or Rajasthan, Delhi will have to announce that movement to these states via buses and private vehicles is now allowed. This will depend on these destination states agreeing to the same. Same norms will apply go for buses coming from these states to Delhi. Hence, resumption of vehicular movement across state borders shall depend on mutual consent of states,” a home ministry official explained to ThePrint.
The Centre has also asked all states and union territories to not stop any type of goods or cargo and even empty trucks, even for cross-land border trade under treaties with neighbouring countries.
They have also been asked to allow inter- and intra-state movement of medical professionals, nurses, paramedical staff, sanitation personnel and ambulances without restriction.
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What will remain shut?
All domestic and international air travel, except for domestic medical services, air ambulances and for security purposes, will remain prohibited.
Metro services too will remain suspended.
Schools, colleges and tuition centres will remain shut, and “online classes are encouraged at all educational institutions”, the MHA order stated.
Hotels and hospitality services, except those meant for housing government, police and health workers and stranded people, will remain shut.
All cinema halls, gyms, assembly halls and any kind of religious gathering too remain prohibited.
The night curfew that was imposed in the third phase of the lockdown (4-17 May) shall continue. “Movement of individuals shall remain prohibited between 7 pm to 7 am,” the order stated.
Red/orange/green zones
According to the order, the delineation of red, green, orange zones will now be decided by the governments of the states and union territories, after taking into consideration parameters shared by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Within red and orange zones, containment and buffer zones will be demarcated by the district authorities in accordance with health ministry guidelines.
In the containment zones, only essential services will be allowed, with strict perimeter control.
“Intensive contact tracing, house-to-house surveillance and medical help will be ensured in these containment areas,” an MHA official said.
Also, people above 65 years of age, those with comorbidities, pregnant women and children below the age of 10 have been advised to stay indoors.
Use of Aarogya Setu app
The MHA order stated that employees at all workplaces should be encouraged to download and use the Aarogya Setu app.
“The Aarogya Setu app enables early identification of potential risk of infection and acts as a shield for individuals and the community,” it said.
“To ensure safety in offices and workplaces, employers on a best effort basis should ensure that the app is downloaded by all employees.”
The government has also asked district authorities to advise individuals to install the app and constantly update their health status on it.
‘Incident commanders’ to ensure enforcement
The government has asked all states to strictly enforce guidelines and not dilute them.
To ensure this, district magistrates have been asked to deploy executive magistrates as ‘incident commanders’ in their respective local jurisdictions.
“The Incident Commander will be responsible for overall implementation of these measures,” the MHA order said.
“Any person violating will be liable to be booked under the Disaster Management Act and the Indian Penal Code,” it added.
Work from home encouraged, masks compulsory
The MHA order also stated that the practice of work from home should be encouraged and followed.
“Practice of work from home should be followed. Staggering of shifts should be maintained. Provision of thermal scanning, hand wash and sanitisers to be made at all entry/exit points of all workplaces. Regular sanitatisation also needs to be done,” the officer quoted above said.
Also, wearing a face mask at all public places and workplaces is mandatory, and spitting in public places will encourage a fine.
“Social distancing is to be strictly maintained at all workplaces. Marriage gatherings should not be more than 50 people. Not more than 20 people should gather at any funeral,” the officer added.
Also read: Can India risk a controlled epidemic after lockdown ends? It will depend on these factors
The MHA guidelines clearly mention that all activities will be permitted, except those which are “specifically prohibited”. This relaxation, however, will not be applicable to containment zones, where only essential services will be allowed.
By ‘all activities’, the government here means that non-essential services, which include salon, e-commerce, can now open.
The activities that are specifically prohibited include air, metro travel, resumption of schools, colleges, religious places.
Of course, states and UTs, based on their assessment of the situation, may prohibit certain activities (which can include opening up of salons) in various zones or impose more restrictions, but the Centre has allowed these sectors to resume business.
The Centre, in fact, has also told states and UTs that they cannot dilute the restrictions imposed in MHA guidelines, but can only prohibit or impose more restrictions, if necessary.
There are two main reasons for the spread of Covid-19 in the world in light of the Holy Quran. The first can be ecological disaster and second can be a natural one. Holy Quran 30:41 “Corruption do appear on land and sea because of (the evil) which men´s hands have done, that He may make them taste a part of that which they have done, in order that they may return.” Holy Quran 26-152 “ Who cause corruption in the land and do not amend.” Holy Quran, 4:79 “What comes to you of good is from Allah, but what comes to you of evil, [O man], is from yourself. And We have sent you, [O Muhammad], to the people as a messenger, and sufficient is Allah as Witness.” Holy Quran 2:173 “He has only forbidden to you dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah. But whoever is forced [by necessity].” Apart from Holy Quran flesh of swine is forbidden in Bible as follows: Deuteronomy 14:8 The pig, because it divides the hoof but does not chew the cud, it is unclean for you. You shall not eat any of their flesh nor touch their carcasses. In Leviticus 11:7 And the pig, for though it divides the hoof, thus making a split hoof, it does not chew cud, it is unclean to you. But the whole Christian world mostly eat pigs. In view of the facts mentioned above in the Holy Quran, all the prominent scientists and ecologists must start research to know if the Covid-19 is due to the people started to eat bats, snakes and dogs apart from pigs which are made to clean by eating excreta shits and dirty things despite being forbidden in Bible and Holy Quran and also to check overpopulation of cattle due to less demands and ban on cow slaughters can be ecological concerns.
Secondly, it is also necessary to check if Covid-19 is a natural disaster as per the Holy Quran 41:15 “As for ‘Aad (name of tribe) they were arrogant upon the earth without right and said, “Who is greater than us in strength? Did they not consider that Allah who created them was greater than them in strength? But they were rejecting Our signs”. Holy Quran 69:6 “And as for ‘Aad, they were destroyed by a screaming, violent wind”. Holy Quran 5:15 “O People of the Scripture, there has come to you Our Messenger making clear to you much of what you used to conceal of the Scripture and overlooking much. There has come to you from Allah a light and a clear Book.”
Now in order check the if the Virus is a natural disaster in light of the above verses of Holy Quran, all the prominent religious scholars from major religions should jointly research their religious scripture to introspect and to do necessary changes in the way of life without hiding any part of the scriptures to follow the last prophet Muhammad ( Peace be upon him ) as the Holy Quran says so. Now it is time for the world and superpowers to stop beating around the bush, but ascertain the main reason of this Covid-19 and act accordingly to win the war against Coronavirus.
“Services of beauty parlours and salons too can resume.”
It appears that the aforesaid is subject to further prohibitions imposed by states, if any, in accordance with para 8 of MHA order under discussion.
In this regard, kindly refer to recommendations dated 15.05.2020 issued by GNCT Delhi [para 1 (vi)], wherein GNCTD has specifically prohibited functioning of “barber shops, spas and salons”. Arguing that ‘beauty parlours’ doesn’t find specific mention in the GNCTD recommendations and, thus, can be made operational, might not be logical.
Thanks!