By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI/BHUBANESWAR: In a major relief for industrial houses and Mines Owners, the Ministry of Home Affairs, which issued a revised advisory on Wednesday, however allowed industrial and mining activities and transportations relating to it. The MHA has also issued SOP for industrial and mining settlements asking them to strictly follow it. All goods traffic are also allowed and seaports and Inland Containers Depots will function with strict implementation of SOP.
According to the MHA notification, Industries operating in rural areas, outside the limits of Municipal Corporations and Municipalities are allowed to function during the lockdown-ii period till May 3.
“Manufacturing and other industrial establishments with access control in SEZ, EoUs, industrial estates and Industrial Township are allowed and the concerned establishments shall make arrangements of stay of workers within their premises as far as possible and implement SOP as set by the Government. Coal production, mines and mineral production, their transportation, supply of explosives and activities incidental to mining operations are allowed during the extended lockdown period,” it.
The Central Government issued an Order on 14 that the lockdown measures stipulated in the Consolidated Guidelines of Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for containment of COVID-19 epidemic in the country, will continue to remain in force upto May 3.
In pursuance of the above said order of Government of India, MHA has issued consolidated revised guidelines regarding lockdown measures to be taken by Ministries/Departments of Government of India, State/UT Governments for containment of COVID-19 epidemic in the country. The guidelines also prescribe National Directives for COVID-19 management; SOPs for Social Distancing at offices, workplaces, factories and establishments; and, penalties for offences regarding violation of lockdown measures under relevant sections of Disaster Management Act 2005 and IPC, 1860.
In order to mitigate hardship to the public, select additional activities would be allowed, which would come into effect from 20th April, 2020. However, these additional activities would be operationalized by States/ Union Territories (UTs)/ District Administrations based on strict compliance to the existing guidelines on lockdown measures. Before operating these relaxations, States/ UTs/ District Administrations shall ensure that all preparatory arrangements with regard to social distancing in offices, workplaces, factories and establishments, and other sectoral requirements are in place.
The consolidated revised guidelines would not apply in containment zones, as demarcated by States/ UTs/ District administrations. If any new area is included in the category of a containment zone, the activities allowed in that area till the time of its categorization as a containment zone, would be suspended, except for those activities that are specifically permitted under the guidelines of Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India.MHA has directed all the Ministries/Departments of Government of India and State Governments /Union Territory Administrations for the strict implementation.
