Highlights
*When did the India lockdown start?
*The economy to open up from May 4
*Indian Government declares Green,Orange and Red zones
After a 21 day lockdown announced by the Indian Governmenton on 24th March, a two week extension was announced till May 3rd. As the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread unabated, the lockdown has been further extended till May 17 for COVID red hotspots. Till date cases have risen to 42500 and more than 1353 deaths.
From May 4 there will be considerable relaxations in districts where there are no active cases. Earlier the motto was `Jaan hain to Jahaan hain’. With the 1.3 billion people under lockdown, we did manage to flatten the curve to some extent. It gave us adequate preparations for quarantine facilities and to ramp up testing. Now, the new mantra is to `save lives and livelihoods.’
“We have to now learn to live with the Coronavirus, said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. “With the economy in doldrums, no revenue collections for the government, and not much money left to pay the government staff, it is time to open up the economy in a phased manner.”
The Ministry of Home Affairs said in a press release there will be new guidelines. The districts have been segregated into Green, Orange and Red zones to regulate activities. Red districts have clusters of positive cases, a green has zero infections while an orange area has a low number of cases. The Centre and states are looking at ways to revive the economy. Here, the federal structure of our government will come into play as things play out. The Centre gives the guidelines but the chief ministers have to take stock of the ground realities and take decisions.
There will be no movement between states allowed during this time. Industrial establishments in urban areas, including special economic zones, will be allowed to operate, as well as manufacturing units for essential goods, including drugs, pharmaceuticals and medical devices and IT hardware production, the ministry said. Private offices and government departments can operate with 33 percent capacity.
In rural areas, all industrial and construction activities and food-processing units are permitted, along with agriculture activities such as sowing, harvesting, procurement and marketing operations in the farming supply chain.
Irrespective of the zones, certain activities will remain prohibited throughout the country. These include: Travel by air, rail, metro and inter-State movement by road; running of schools, colleges, training/ coaching centres and other educational institutions; hospitality services, including hotels and restaurants; places of large public gatherings, such as cinema halls, malls, gymnasiums, sports complexes; religious places/ places of worship for public; Social, political, cultural and other kinds of gatherings.
What is allowed in Green zone?
All activities permitted, except the limited number of activities which are prohibited throughout the country, irrespective of the zones. Buses can operate with up to 50 percent seating capacity and bus depots can operate with up to 50 percent capacity. Liquor and paan shops to be allowed to function provided not more 5 persons are present at one time.
In addition to activities permitted in Red Zone, taxis and cab aggregators will be permitted with 1 driver and 1 passenger only. Inter-district movement of individuals and vehicles will be allowed for permitted activities only. Four wheeler vehicles can have maximum two passengers besides the driver, and pillion riding will be allowed on two-wheelers. Containment zones will be identified by districts.
Red Zones
There will be intensified surveillance protocols, contact tracing and 100% coverage of Aarogya Setu app. Containment zones will see house to house surveillance, home/ institutional quarantining of affected, and clinical management. Strict perimeter will be ensured.
- Movement of individuals and vehicles for permitted activities, with a maximum of 2 persons (besides the driver) in four-wheeler vehicles, and with no pillion rider in the case of two-wheelers
- Industrial establishments in urban areas, viz., Special Economic Zones (SEZs), Export Oriented Units (EOUs), industrial estates and industrial townships with access control
- Manufacturing units of essential goods, including drugs, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, their raw material and intermediates
- Production units, which require continuous process, and their supply chain
- Manufacturing of IT hardware
- Jute industry with staggered shifts and social distancing
- Manufacturing units of packaging material
- Private offices can operate with up to 33 per cent stre
- l agriculture activities, e.g., sowing, harvesting, procurement and marketing operations in the agricultural supply chain are permitted. Animal husbandry activities are fully permitted, including inland and marine fisheries
- A large part of the financial sector remains open, which includes banks, non-banking finance companies (NBFCs), insurance and capital market activities, and credit co-operative societies. Operation of homes for children, senior citizens, destitutes, women and widows etc.; and operation of Anganwadis has also been permitted. Public utilities, e.g., utilities in power, water, sanitation, waste management, telecommunications and internet will remain open, and courier and postal services will be allowed to operate
According to the official release, in addition to activities permitted in Red Zone, few more relaxations are given in Orange zones. These include:
- Taxis and cab aggregators with 1 driver and 1 passenger only
- Inter-district movement of individuals and vehicles for permitted activities only
- Four wheeler vehicles will have maximum two passengers besides the driver and pillion riding will be allowed on two-wheelers
