Train, air travel allowed, but curbs on vehicular and inter-district movement
Grocery shops allowed from 6 am to 10 am, Hopcoms from 6 am to 6 pm, banks and essential govt services stay open
BENGALURU:
In a major development, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Friday announced a continuation of the current statewide curfew from 6 am on May 10 to 6 am on May 24.
Explaining his decision to the media, the Chief Minister said, “I held a two-hour meeting with my cabinet colleagues on how to control the spread of the virus. This evening, I also held a meeting with the Chief Secretary and other officials. The virus is spreading very fast, and despite the ‘corona curfew, the number of positive cases and deaths has not been controlled. The government has decided to continue with the statewide curfew from 6 am on May 10 till 6 am on May 24.”
‘ರಾಜ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಕೋವಿಡ್-19 2ನೇ ಅಲೆ ತೀವ್ರ ಪರಿಣಾಮ ಬೀರುತ್ತಿರುವುದರಿಂದ ಕಠಿಣ ಕ್ರಮ ತೆಗೆದುಕೊಳ್ಳುವುದು ಅನಿವಾರ್ಯವಾಗಿದೆ. ಇದೇ ಮೇ 10, ಬೆಳಿಗ್ಗೆ 6 ಗಂಟೆಯಿಂದ ಮೇ 24ರ ಬೆಳಿಗ್ಗೆ 6 ಗಂಟೆವರೆಗೆ ರಾಜ್ಯಾದ್ಯಂತ ಪರಿಷ್ಕೃತ ಮಾರ್ಗಸೂಚಿಗಳನ್ನು ಜಾರಿಗೊಳಿಸಲಾಗುವುದು. ನಾಗರಿಕರು ಸಹಕರಿಸಬೇಕು ಎಂದು ಕೋರುತ್ತೇನೆ’ : ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿ @BSYBJP.
— CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) May 7, 2021
Also Read: Karnataka curbs continue till May 24; Section 144 imposed https://thebengalurulive.com/karnataka-curbs-continue-till-may-24-section-144-imposed/
CM’s checklist
The CM read out a list of 8 points encapsulating his decision and the curbs/relaxations in place:
- The second wave of Covid-19 is creating havoc across the state and the ‘corona curfew’ imposed in the state has not yielded the expected results in reducing the infections and death rate.
- Therefore, the government has decided to impose stringent measures to check the spread of the disease and deaths.
- Restrictions will be imposed across the entire state from 6 am of 10-05-2021 till 6 am of 24-05-2021.
- All shops and commercial establishments, hotels, pubs, bars and industries will remain closed during this period.
- However, all essentials goods and services like foodstuffs, medicine, milk, fruits and vegetables, etc., will be available from 6 am to 10 am in the morning. Milk booths will be open from 6 am to 6 pm.
- Road works will be allowed. Movement of goods vehicles will be allowed.
- Movement of persons and vehicles, except for medical purposes, will be restricted.
- I appeal to all citizens of the state to strictly follow the guidelines of the government and co-operate with us to control the pandemic.
What’s allowed
According to the official order issued by Chief Secretary P Ravi Kumar, the following activities are allowed:
a. Shops dealing with food, groceries, fruits and vegetables, meat and fish, and animal fodder, allowed to function from 6 am to 10 am. PDS shops are allowed. Only takeaway allowed from standalone liquor shops and outlets, from 6 am to 10 am. Sale of vegetables and fruits through push carts is allowed from 6 am to 6 pm. Milk booths and Hopcoms outlets are allowed from 6 am to 6 pm. Home delivery of essential items shall be encouraged 24×7 to minimize movement of individuals outside their homes. Operations shall be subject to adhering to national directives for Covid-19 management.
b. All food processing and related industries.
c. Banks, insurance offices and ATMs.
d. Print and electronic media.
e. Telecommunication, internet services, broadcasting and cable services.
f. Employees and vehicles of telecom and internet service providers shall be allowed unrestricted movement on producing valid ID cards issued by their respective organization/institution.
g. Only essential staff/employees of IT and ITeS companies/organizations shall work from office. The rest will work from home.
h. Delivery of all items through e-commerce and home delivery. Power generation, transmission and distribution units and services.
j. Capital and debt market services notified by the Securities and Exchange Board of India.
k. Cold storage and warehousing services.
I. Private security services.
m. Aviation and related services (airlines, airports, maintenance, cargo,
ground services, catering, fueling, security, etc) are permitted.
The relevant order issued by Chief Secretary P Ravi Kumar on Friday says, “The guidelines shall continue to remain in force from 6 am on 10-05-2021 and will be in force including and up to 6 am of 24-05-2021.”
What’s prohibited:
The following activities will be prohibited throughout the state:
- Only scheduled flights and trains scheduled will continue to operate during this period. Flight and train tickets shall serve as passes for movement of persons by personal vehicles/taxis/cab aggregators /autorickshaws to board flight and trains.
- Metro rail services.
- Taxis (including auto rickshaws) and services of cab aggregators, except where hired for emergency and as permitted in these guidelines.
- Schools, colleges, educational/coaching institutions, etc., will remain closed. Online/distance learning shall continue to be permitted and shall be encouraged.
- Hotels, restaurants, and hospitality services, except those meant for housing health/ police/ Government officials/ healthcare workers/ stranded persons including tourists, quarantine facility and step-down Hospitals. However, hotels, restaurants and eateries shall be permitted to operate kitchens for take away/home delivery of food items only. No vehicles will be allowed to be used by persons for taking parcels/takeaways. Only movement on foot is allowed for this purpose. However, hotels, restaurants and eateries can use vehicles for home delivery.
- All cinema halls, shopping malls, gymnasiums, sports complexes, stadia, playgrounds, swimming pools, parks, entertainment parks, clubs, theatres, bars and auditoriums, assembly halls and similar
places. - All social/political/ sports/ entertainment/ academic/ cultural/ religious functions/other gatherings and large congregations.
- All religious places/places of worship shall be closed to the public.
Only the following offices of the state government and their autonomous bodies, corporations, etc. shall function (outside containment zones):
a. Health, Medical Education, Police, Home Guards, Prisons, Civil Defence, Fire and Emergency Services, Disaster Management, Revenue and Prisons.
b. All offices operating and maintaining essential services such as Electricity, Water, Sanitation, etc.
c. BBMP, Urban Local Bodies, Deputy Commissioner’s Office and Subordinate Offices.
d. Separate guidelines will be issued for functioning of Secretariat Offices in Vidhana Soudha, Vikas Soudha and MS Building by the DPAR.
e. Courts and offices related to judicial work shall operate as per the guidelines issued by the High Court f. All offices, officers and staff deputed for Covid-related work.
g. Offices and volunteers of NGOs deployed by BBMP, Urban Local Bodies and Deputy Commissioners or otherwise for Covid-19 related work.
h. Treasury offices.
i. All operations related to forestry as declared by the Forest Department.
All other offices shall work from home. All staff who are given Covid-19 duty by BBMP/Deputy Commissioners shall report for Covid-related duty.
Only the following offices of the Government of India, its autonomous/subordinate offices and public corporations shall function (outside containment zones):
a. Defence, Defence PSUs, Central Armed Police Forces, and telecommunication.
b. Offices operating and maintaining essential services (telecom, etc).
c. Treasury (including Pay & Accounts offices, Financial Advisers and field offices of the Controller General of Accounts, with bare minimum staff).
d. Public utilities (including petroleum, CNG, LPG, PNG), power generation and transmission units, post offices, disaster management and Early Warning Agencies.
e. National Informatics Centre.
f. Customs clearance at airports/land border, GSTN; and MCA 21 Registry with bare minimum staff.
g. Banks, Reserve Bank of India, RBI-regulated financial markets and micro-finance Institutions, entities like NPCI, CCIL, payment system operators and standalone primary dealers with bare minimum staff.
h. Railways and related operations
All health services (including AYUSH and Veterinary Hospitals) to remain functional, such as (outside containment zones):
a. All hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, labs, collection centres, telemedicine facilities, dispensaries, pharmacies, chemists, Jan Aushadi Kendras, blood banks, home care providers and all kinds of medicine shops, including medical equipment shops.
b. All pharmaceutical and research labs.
C. Movement (inter and intra State, inter and intra district) of all medical, paramedics, nurses, scientists, lab technicians, mid-wives and other hospital support services.
d. All manufacturing units of drugs, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, medical oxygen, their packing material, raw material and intermediates
e. All construction pertaining to medical/health infrastructure.
Agriculture and related activities (outside containment zones):
All agriculture and allied activities are allowed. Shops and godowns related to farming, custom hiring centres, machineries are permitted from 6 am to 10 am outside containment zones. Allied activities include fisheries, poultry, meat, dairy, etc.
Social Sector: The following to remain functional outside containment zones:
a. Operation of homes for children/disabled/mentally challenged/senior citizens/destitutes/women/widows, etc.
b. Observation homes, aftercare homes and places of safety for juveniles.
Unrestricted movement of all types of goods and cargo (outside containment zones):
a. All facilities in the supply chain of essential goods, whether involved in manufacturing, wholesale or retail of such goods through stores, or e-commerce companies shall be allowed to operate adhering to national directives for Covid-19 management.
b. Movement of all types of goods, including empty goods vehicles.
Movement of individuals is strictly prohibited except as permitted below:
a. No movement of public or private buses or passenger vehicles, except as permitted under these guidelines.
b. Inter-state and intra-state movement of passenger vehicles only in cases of emergencies or as permitted under these guidelines.
c. Intra-district movement of passenger vehicles and buses only in emergency cases and strictly adhering to the prevailing SOPs/guidelines issued by the Department of Health and Family Welfare. Movement of officers/personnel traveling with valid ID card issued by their organization/institution to the place of work and back for permitted activities in these guidelines.
d. Movement of officers/staff of High Court of Karnataka.
e. Officers/staff of district judiciary holding official ID card are permitted even beyond office hours to attend official work at High Court, home office of Hon’ble Chief Justice/other Hon’ble Judges and respective offices at the districts.
f. Passenger vehicles including airport buses/taxis/ auto rickshawsto to and fro from failway stations and airports are permitted. Movement will be allowed only on displaying valid travel documents/tickets.
g. Autos and taxis (including cab aggregators) are permitted for travel related to emergency purposes.
h. Patients and their attendants/persons requiring emergency need for movement shall be allowed to move. Movement for the purpose of vaccination and testing shall be permitted with minimal proof.
Industries/industrial establishments/production units (both government and private) as listed below will be allowed to operate (outside containment zones) adhering to national directives for Covid Management:
a. Manufacturing units of essential commodities.
b. Production units which require continuous process
C. Industries/industrial establishments/production units (both government and private) operating with in-situ staff/workers.
Other activities allowed
- Construction activities with in-situ labourers/workers will be allowed outside containment zones adhering to national directives for Covid-19 management
- Work related to pre-monsoon preparation/road construction activity is permitted.
Marriages already scheduled are permitted strictly adhering to Covid-19 appropriate behaviour with a maximum of 50 people.
Cremations/funerals to be allowed with maximum of 5 people adhering to Covid-appropriate behaviour
Covid-appropriate behaviour
a) BBMP and District and Local Authorities shall take all necessary measures to promote Covid-appropriate behaviour. Strict enforcement of wearing face masks, hand hygiene and social distancing must be ensured.
b) Wearing of face masks is an essential preventive measure. In order to enforce this core requirement, BBMP, District Authorities and Local Authorities shall impose a fine of Rs 250 in municipal corporation areas and Rs 100 in other areas for not wearing face cover as required.
c) The national directives for Covid-19 management shall be strictly followed throughout the state.
Strict enforcement of the guidelines
a) Chief Commissioner BBMP/Deputy Commissioners shall strictly enforce the above measures. For the enforcement of social distancing, Commissioners of Police/Deputy Commissioners may use the provisions of Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) of 1973.
b) Any person violating these measures will be liable to be proceeded against as per the provisions of Section 51 to 60 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, besides legal action under Section 188 of the IPC, and other legal provisions as applicable.
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