No 'Relaxation' on Lockdown Rules Yet, Decision on April 27: Assam Chief Secretary

Dispur, April 25, 2020:

Kumar Sanjay Krishna, the Chief Secretary of Assam has announced that the Government has not taken any decision to "relax" ongoing lockdown rules such as the "opening of shops, beauty parlours etc". A decision in this regard, Krishna said, will be taken only on 27 April, 2020.

This has been announced less than a week after the Government announced a certain set of relaxations in regards to the lockdown rules. On April 20, several of the restrictions -- especially on trade and businesses -- were laxed by the administration. The restrictions that were eased are as follows:

• In regards to Government offices, from April 21 onwards, all the Government offices, heretofore closed, will be re-opened.
• In case of the Secretariat, the Deputy Secretary and above must attend the offices compulsorily.
• In regards to Grade III and Grade IV Government servants, departments heads will prepare rosters and on who will come and who shalll not. “However, the maximum capacity is 30% and no more than that will be allowed in the office.”

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• In case of Directorate, Autonomous Organizations, Public Sector Enterprise, only Director, Managing Director and Assistant Directors should visit the office, and the should prepare rosters for the rest of the employees.
• In case of the Deputy Commissioner, Divisional Commissioner, SDO Civil, only the Assistant Commissioners and above must visit compulsorily.
• ASTC buses have been arranged by the Secretariat administration, and they will travel in these assigned buses. [Note: Social distancing norms will be followed in these buses as well].
• No visitors will be allowed in the secretariat and the directorate and all concerns must now be forwarded to the control rooms.
• All officials, meanwhile, have been asked to carry identification cards so that miscreants are not able to “misuse” the re-opening of offices to their own advantage.
• Moreover, masks, hand sanitizers, and social distancing are being made compulsory at the workplace.

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• All agricultural services are now exempted from the lockdown.
• In regards to manufacturing organizations, the owners have to give an undertaking to the administration. Further, they will be advised to keep the workers at a special assigned location.
• E-commerce will also be allowed for “essential services”.
• All health related services have been given the nod.
• No restrictions on movement on agricultural as well as non agricultural products.
• Inland fishing has also been opened.
• In regards to milk, the supply chain will be opened up completely.
• No restrictions in regards to gaushalas/cow sheds.
• All the food processing factories can also be opened.
• Brick kilns can also be re-opened and pending works can now be completed.
• Irrigation and water-related activities (such as construction of embankments) shall also be allowed.
• No restrictions on warehousing and cold-storage.
• No restrictions on availability of livestock
• Problem of migrant labourers is a big issue. People will be allowed to move to their respective hometowns for one time. [intra-district travel only] [Note: within the state, 9,000 people are stranded]
• Textbook stores for students will be re-opened for 3 days.

It is to be mentioned here that a complete lockdown, starting from March 25, was clamped across India to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the country. Although the lockdown was initially expected to end on April, the Centre has extended it till May 3 to “break the spread” of the virus outbreak.

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