After the Central Government issued guidelines for unlock 4.0, the Haryana Government on Sunday withdrew its order to keep markets in urban areas closed on Monday and Tuesday.
The Union Home Ministry, in unlock 4.0 guidelines had on Saturday, said that the State Governments shall not impose any local lockdown outside containment zones without prior consultation with the Central Government.
Accordingly, the Haryana Government on Sunday issued fresh orders to implement the guidelines of unlock-4.0 issued by the Ministry. These orders will remain in force till September 30.
“The State Government's order regarding closure of shops and shopping malls on Monday and Tuesday in the market places of urban areas of Haryana shall be treated as withdrawn with immediate effect,” stated an official spokesman.
Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij had earlier in the day Tweeted, “Under Unlock 4, the Central government has said that state governments shall not impose any local lockdown (outside containment zones), so the Haryana government has withdrawn the order issued on August 28 to keep the markets closed on Monday and Tuesday. Therefore, there will be no lockdown now (sic)”.
The State Government had on August 28 ordered that malls and shops in marketplaces of urban areas will remain closed on Mondays and Tuesdays instead of weekends to contain the spread of COVID-19. The order, however, was not for shops dealing with essential goods and services.
This revised order on August 28 had come a week after the government had ordered offices and shops to remain closed on weekends throughout the state.
Haryana has recorded more than 62,000 COVID-19 cases and over 670 fatalities. Faridabad and Gurugram in the NCR remain the worst affected districts in the state with both reporting more than 10000 positive cases each till now.
Giving details of the fresh guidelines, the spokesperson said, “As per the guidelines for phased re-opening (unlock 4) by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), all activities will be permitted outside the containment zones, except the schools, colleges, educational and coaching institutions will continue to remain closed for students and regular class activity up to September 30.”
However, online or distance learning shall continue to be permitted and shall be encouraged. States and UTs may permit upto 50 percent of teaching and non-teaching staff to be called to the schools at a time for online coaching, tele-counselling and related work, in areas outside the containment zones only, with effect from September 21 for which, Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) will be issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW).
The spokesman said that students of classes 9 to 12 may be permitted to visit the schools, in areas outside the containment zones only, on voluntary basis, for taking guidance from their teachers. This will be subject to consent of their parents or guardians and will be permitted with effect from September 21 for which, SOP will be issued by MOHFW.
He said that skill or entrepreneurship training will be permitted in National Skill Training Institutes, Industrial Training Institutes (ITIS), Short term training centres registered with National Skill Development Corporation or State Skill Development Missions or other Ministries of Government of India or State Governments.
These will be permitted with effect from September 21 for which, SOP will be issued by MoHFW.
The spokesperson further said that social, academics, sports, entertainment, cultural, religious functions and other congregations with a ceiling of 100 persons will be permitted with effect from September 21 with mandatory wearing of face masks, social distancing, provision for thermal scanning and hand wash or sanitizer.
However, marriage related gatherings with number of guests not exceeding 50 and funeral or last rites related gatherings with number of persons not exceeding 20 will continue to be allowed up to September 20, after which the ceiling of 100 persons will apply.
Cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres and similar places will remain closed. However, open air theatres will be permitted to open with effect from September 21, he added.
Also, there shall be no restriction or inter-state and intra-state movement of persons and goods including those for cross land-border trade under the neighbouring countries.
