Various decisions were taken in a meeting chaired by chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat with his cabinet colleagues and senior bureaucrats on Thursday. The guidelines issued on Wednesday by the Government of India for containment of COVID-19 were discussed and decisions regarding the extended lockdown were taken accordingly for the state.
Informing about the decisions, cabinet minister and state government spokesman Madan Kaushik said that all units in industrial estates will be allowed to function after April 20. However, they will have to seek permission from the district magistrate and strictly follow Central Government guidelines in this regard. Further, marriages will be allowed in the state provided the function takes place inside a home and only five persons from one side will be permitted to attend the function.
It will be mandatory to wear a mask in all public places and offices. It will be mandatory for anyone travelling from one place to another, to follow directions issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for maintaining social distancing in public place, work place and in traffic. More than five persons congregating in any public place will remain prohibited. Further, the permission of the district magistrate will be needed for any marriage or funeral. A penalty will be imposed on anyone spitting in public place.
The sale of liquor, gutka and tobacco will remain prohibited along with spitting in public place. Every workplace should have proper temperature screening facility and sanitiser at the proper place.
There should be at least one hour gap between shifts and during meals too the staff should maintain social distancing. Personnel aged above 65 years and those who have children aged below five years will be encouraged to work from home. All governmental and non governmental personnel and general public will be motivated to use the Aarogya Setu application.
At construction sites, the surface will have to be cleaned consistently and hand washing arrangements will be made for the labourers. Shifts should not overlap and social distancing must be ensuring during meals.
Further, the nearby area must be kept clean. When it comes to industries, all units in rural areas and in industrial estates will be allowed to operate after securing formal permission from the district magistrate.
Precautions against COVID-19 as directed by the Government of India will have to be strictly followed. Since there are 64,129 MSMEs and 327 industries registered in the state, the industry department has set up a portal for online applications.
All industrial units applying for permission to operate will also have to provide full details of arrangements made in accordance with COVID-19 standard operating procedures and transportation of labourers. After ensuring compliance of the mandatory requirements, permission will be granted by the district magistrate.