Centre extends nationwide lockdown by 2 weeks, relaxations for districts in green and orange zones

The Centre on Friday further extended the nationwide lockdown for two weeks beyond May 3, the last day of the current phase of the restrictions imposed to check the spread of novel coronavirus.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued an Order under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 to further extend the Lockdown for a further period of two weeks, a government press release said.

MHA also issued new guidelines to regulate different activities in this period, based on the risk profiling of the districts of the country into red (hotspot), green and orange zones. The guidelines have permitted considerable relaxations in the districts falling in the green and orange zones.

However, a limited number of activities will remain prohibited throughout the country, irrespective of the zone.

These include travel by air, rail, metro and inter-State movement by road; running of schools, colleges, and other educational and training, coaching institutions; hospitality services, including hotels and restaurants; places of large public gatherings, such as cinema halls, malls, gymnasiums, sports complexes etc; social, political, cultural and other kinds of gatherings; and, religious places, places of worship for the public.

However, movement of persons by air, rail and road is allowed for select purposes, and for purposes as permitted by MHA.

The home ministry said that the criteria for identification of districts as red, green and orange zones have been spelt out in detail in the letter dated April 30, 2020, issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).

The green zones will be districts with either zero confirmed cases till date; or, no confirmed case in the last 21 days. In the green zones, all activities are permitted except the limited number of activities which are prohibited throughout the country, irrespective of the zone. However, buses can operate with up to 50% seating capacity and bus depots can operate with up to 50% capacity.

The classification of districts as red zones will take into account the total number of active cases, doubling rate of confirmed cases, extent of testing and surveillance feedback from the districts.

Those districts, which are neither defined as red nor green, shall be classified as orange zones, the MHA said.

The classification of districts into red, green and orange zones will be shared by MoHFW with the States and Union Territories (UTs) on a weekly basis, or earlier, as required.

While States and UTs can include additional districts as red and orange zones, they may not lower the classification of a district included by MoHFW in the list of red or orange zones.

The new guidelines also prescribe certain measures for well being and safety of persons. Hence, movement of individuals, for all non-essential activities, shall remain strictly prohibited between 7 pm to 7 am, the MHA said.

Local authorities shall issue orders under appropriate provisions of law, such as prohibitory orders [curfew] under Section 144 of CrPC, for this purpose, and ensure strict compliance, the ministry said.

"In all zones, persons above 65 years of age, persons with co-morbidities, pregnant women, and children below the age of 10 years, shall stay at home, except for meeting essential requirements and for health purposes. Out-Patient Departments (OPDs) and Medical clinics shall be permitted to operate in red, orange and green zones, with social distancing norms and other safety precautions; however, these will not be permitted within the Containment zones," it said.