But Govt order excludes malls, urban marketing complexes, liquor shops, salons
In a big relief to shopkeepers and common people as well, the Government has allowed opening up of all shops in residential areas, except malls, urban marketing complexes and liquor and barber shops, but the States have to take a final call in deciding the modalities.
The shops will function with 50 per cent staff and will not be allowed to open in hotspot zones, which are decided by the State Governments.
In notification, the Home Ministry said shops, the sales points defined under Shops and Establishment Act which includes non-essential items too. But e-commerce in non-essential is not allowed.
The officials also pointed out that like liquor, cigarettes, gutka, and pan masala also come under the regulated items under the hazardous to health list.
“So these will also be come under prohibited category under the Disaster Management Act and other State Acts,” said officials.
The Home Ministry’s first notification, which came out in the intervening night of Friday-Saturday, a lot of created confusion due to separate classification of rural and urban shops and its categories. On Sunday morning came the first clarification that Liquor shops will not come under the category of shops that can be opened.
By afternoon came a second clarification excluding barber shops or saloons from the ambit of relaxation.
“We were facing flood of queries from public as well as media and also from social media about the opening of liquor shops, cigarettes, barber shops and saloons,” said a senior official of the MHA.
The officials explained that as public transport and vehicle plying is not allowed till May 3, public can only walk to nearby shops. “Hair salons and barber shops render services. Our order is applicable on shops which deal in sale of items. There is no order to open barber shops and hair salons. There is no order to open liquor shops,” said Punya Salila Tripati, MHA spokesperson.
“All shops registered under the Shops and Establishment Act of the respective State/UT, including shops in residential complexes and market complexes, except shops in multi-brand and single-brand malls, outside the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities, with 50 per cent strength of workers with wearing of masks and social distancing being mandatory,” reads the MHA order.