Cabinet decides to relax lockdown in 15 sectors
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 20 2020: The current lockdown which would continue till May 3 has been relaxed in 15 sectors.

The State Cabinet adopted a resolution to this effect today.

The Cabinet meeting held in the Chief Minister's office with N Biren in the chair deliberated on the State's prevailing situation regarding COVID-19 and the lockdown clamped to prevent spread of the highly contagious disease before arriving at a decision to relax the lockdown in 15 sectors.

Briefing media persons at the Babupara SSA conference hall after the Cabinet meeting, Education Minister and Government spokesman Dr Thokchom Radheshyam informed that the State Cabinet agreed to relax the lockdown for activities related to 15 sectors.

The lockdown would be relaxed for activities related to transportation and sale of essential commodities, health care, public utility services, farming, fish farming, dairy farming and poultry farming.

The relaxation also covers finance and social sector, online teaching, MGNREGA works, certain commercial and private establishments, construction works, emergency services, State and Central Government offices.

However, the relaxation would be subject to observance of the National Directives for COVID-19 Management and standard operating procedure (SOP) for social distancing, Dr Radheshyam said.

Subsequent upon the Cabinet decision, Chief Secretary Dr J Suresh Babu has issued an order along with an annexure which gives details of the relaxation apart from mentioning the National Directives for COVID-19 Management and SOP for social distancing.

The order issued by the Chief Secretary said that social distancing should be maintained by all and mask should be compulsorily put on by any person visiting public places and activities that may be permitted from April 21 to May 3 include;

1. Supply of essential goods:

a) Home Delivery of essential commodities.
b) Locality based retails shops dealing with essential commodities like groceries for daily use, vegetables, fruits, poultry meat and fish from 6 am to 2 pm on all days except Sundays.
c) Wholesale markets at Imphal on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday for sale to retails shops as per permit issued by Deputy Commissioners.
d) Movement of people on vehicles is restricted except pass holders.



2. Movement of cargo and goods:

a) All goods vehicles are allowed to cross inter-State border at Mao, Jiribam and Jessami.
b) Movement of all trucks and other carrier vehicles with two drivers and one helper including empty trucks after delivery of goods or for pick up of goods.
c) All drivers and helpers of trucks who enter the State from outside the State shall mandatorily follow the Standard Operating Protocol already notified by the Home Department and other instructions issued by the Health and Transport Departments.

Any person visiting their homes, shall remain under home quarantine as per the advice of Health Department.
d) Shops for truck repairs and dhabas on highways are allowed with prescribed social distancing.

3. Health related activities:

a) Hospitals, nursing homes, clinics and dispensaries.
b) All chemists, pharmacies and all kinds of medicine shops including Jan Aushadhi Kendras and medical equipment shops.
c) Medical laboratories and collection centres.
d) Veterinary hospitals, dispensaries, clinics and related pathological laboratories and sale and supply of vaccines.

4. Public Utilities:

a) Distribution of LPG through home delivery;
b) Postal services including post office;
c) Telecommunication and internet services;
d) Operation of water/sanitation and waste management sectors;
e) Petrol pumps (separate orders will be issued)
5. Agricultural and related activities:
a) Farming operations by farmers and farm workers in field in rural areas;
b) Agencies engaged in procurement of agricultural produces including farmer producers companies

6. Fisheries:

a) Operations of fish farms and fishing.
b) Fish feed plants.

7. Animal Husbandry:

a) Collection, processing, distribution and sale of milk and milk products.
b) Operation of poultry farms and hatcheries, piggery and dairy development.
c) Animal feed manufacturing.

8. Finance Sector:

a) Reserve Sank of India and RBI regulated financial market;
b) Bank branches and ATMs and business correspondents.

9. Social Sector

a) Operation of homes for children/disabled /mentally challenged/senior citizens/destitutes/women/widows;
b) Observation homes, care homes and juvenile homes;
c) Disbursement of old age pension/widow pension/freedom fighter pensions;
d) Operation of Anganwadi centres by distribution of food items and nutrition once in 15 days at the doorsteps of beneficiaries.

Beneficiaries should not attend Anganwadi centres.

10.Online teaching

a) All Educational institutions, training and coaching centres shall remain closed.
b) These establishments are expected to maintain the academic schedule through online teaching.

11.MNREGA works:

a) MNREGA works are allowed in rural areas with strict implementation of social distancing and face mask.

12.Commercial and private establishments:

a) Print and electronic media
b) Courier services.
c) Private security services
d) Food processing units
e) Mineral water manufacturing and distribution
f) Home delivery of food by restaurants and outlets.

13.Construction activities:

a) Construction of roads and railway projects including MSMEs in rural areas i.e.outside the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities.
b) Construction and maintenance of rural water supply schemes.
c) Continuation of works in construction projects, within limits of municipal corporations and municipalities, where workers are available on site and no workers are required to be brought in from outside (in situ construction).

14.Movement of Persons:

a) Private vehicles for emergency services including medical and veterinary care.
b) All exempted category of employees attending work place.

15.Offices of Central and State Government

a) All Stale Government offices shall be opened.

All Officers of the rank of Under Secretary and above shall attend.

In respect of other categories, 33 percent of the staff will attend office by rotation.
b) All Treasury offices will function with required staff.
c) All offices dealing with essential services will function normally.
d) All Central Government offices may function as per the guidelines issued by Government of India.
e) There shall be total ban on visitors.

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