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States to chalk out zones, allow activities barring few prohibited nationwide: Centre
All states will have to decide on containment zones and classify areas into red, orange and green zones based on the concentration of Covid-19 positive cases in those areas.
Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba will hold a video conference with states late on Sunday evening for further elaboration of state-specific issues regarding lockdown 4.0 under which states have to decide various zones and activities to be allowed in these zones based on the parameters shared by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
.A limited number of activities will remain prohibited throughout the country in the fourth phase of the lockdown now extended till May 31, a senior government official said.
All states will have to decide on containment zones and classify areas into red, orange and green zones based on the concentration of Covid-19 positive cases in those areas.
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The zones can be a district, or a municipal corporation or municipality or even smaller administrative units such as sub-divisions as decided by states and UTs.
Within the Red and Orange Zones, containment and buffer zones will need to be demarcated by the local authorities, after taking into consideration the Health Ministry’s guidelines. Within the containment zones, only essential activities shall be allowed.
Strict perimeter control will have to be maintained, and no movement of people will be allowed across the zones, except for medical emergencies and for maintaining supply of essential goods and services. Buffer zones are areas adjoining the containment zones, where new Covid-19 cases are more likely to appear. In the buffer zones, more caution needs to be exercised, the government notification announcing the lockdown extension read.
National directives like night curfew and wearing face masks and maintaining social distance are to be made mandatory by all states.
As part of lockdown 4.0, states can permit all other activities outside containment zones that are other than the limited number of activities prohibited nationally, according to the senior government official.
The Centre’s guidelines to states shall apply to public places and work places. Under these guidelines, wearing of face masks is compulsory; spitting will be punishable with a fine as may be prescribed in accordance with the rules or regulations by the state/ UT or local authority.
Social distancing is to be followed by people in public places and in transport. Any gathering related to a marriage shall not have more than 50 guests. For funerals/ last rites, the maximum number of people allowed has been kept at 20.Consumption of liquor, paan, gutkha and tobacco will also not be allowed in public places.
Earlier on Sunday evening, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) directed states to continue lockdown measures till May 31, the fourth extension of the nationwide lockdown imposed to curb the spread of the infectious Covid-19 disease.
The Centre issued the new guidelines for the fourth phase of the lockdown with considerable relaxations being given for those states and cities which have lesser number of Covid-19 positive cases.
Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Punjab had already extended the lockdown before the Prime Minister Modi-led National Disaster Management Authority issued the order for lockdown 4.0 on Sunday evening.
