Bengal allows relaxations, but conditions apply
Kolkata: The state government has allowed a slew of relaxations in areas outside the containment zones to facilitate people to pursue their livelihood as the country gears up for Lockdown 3.0.
The state government on Monday announced that at present, there are 516 containment zones in the state including 318 in Kolkata.
Clearly stating that none of the relaxations is applicable in the containment zones, Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha said no one will be allowed to enter or leave those areas and strong lockdown steps will be taken.
All District Magistrates have been directed to notify the containment zones in their respective areas of jurisdiction and the same has to be uploaded in the government's website and social sites considering that people must know about these areas in this phase.
This comes when 61 people have tested positive in the past 24 hours taking the total count to 1,259. The total death toll till date in Bengal is 61 and so far 218 people have been released after recovery.
Adding that the state government had informed the Centre about adverse effects of lockdown relaxations, the Chief Secretary said certain activities are being allowed outside the containment zones. The state government has allowed intra-district bus services in Green zones with not more than 20 people or 50 per cent of the total seats. District Magistrates will be finalising the operational routes and the buses can in no case cross district boundaries. The vehicles have to be disinfected regularly. Stand-alone and neighbourhood shops including hardware, laundry, mobile and mobile recharging, electronics, garments, books, stationery, paint and varnishing, electrical appliances, tyre and tubes, batteries, motor vehicle repair and spare shops are allowed to operate from 10 am to 6 pm.
Though tea and pan shops have been allowed to open in non-containment areas for the same period of time, no one will gather near the shops. Sweet shops will also remain open till 6 pm.
As usual, industries have to seek permission from the Chief Secretary by sending an e-mail at cs-westbengal@nic.in to get clearances for necessary operation. So far, the state government has received 10,096 applications in this regard and clearances have been given to 4350 applicants, including some major factories and jute mills. As many as 5,362 applications were rejected as those are situated in the containment zones.
The state government on Monday allowed mining activities in Green and Orange zones and it also includes transport of materials to permitted worksites. At the same time, relaxation has been given to carry out all construction activities in rural areas. But in urban areas, permission needs to be taken from the District Magistrate or Commissioner of Kolkata Municipal Corporation and workers need to be available at the site itself.
Besides allowing movement of private cars with not more than three people including the driver, the state government has also given relaxation for private offices to operate from 10 am to 6 pm with maximum 25 per cent of the total manpower. But the state government also advised work from home as a preferred option. Barber shops and salons are allowed to open in Green zones only while under no circumstance an assembly of more than seven persons will be allowed.
At the same time, the state government has added that wearing masks and maintaining physical distancing is mandatory in all cases. Stringent measures will be taken under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act 2005 if one is caught violating the orders.
