E-Paper
Transportation of all goods and newspaper supply chain exempted from lockdown
The latest MHA order is an attempt to clear confusion and aid smooth movement of goods transport.
The Central government on Sunday clarified that transportation of all goods and not just essential services had been exempted from the lockdown provisions implemented across the country under the Disaster Management Act since Tuesday midnight.
The clarification was issued through a home ministry notification which also added newspaper delivery chain among the exceptions to deal with the widespread complaints that newspapers were not being delivered and hawkers were being stopped from movement outside and inside residential areas.
“Newspaper delivery supply chain is also allowed under print media,” the order said.
The first MHA guidelines detailing the list of services exempted from the lockdown provision had listed print and broadcast media. Today’s clarification made it clear that the delivery chain for newspapers fell in that category and should not be blocked.
The government through two amendments to its original lockdown guidelines, had also exempted several farm-sector-related services and transportation of agricultural goods from the lockdown keeping in mind the harvesting season.
The letter to the chief secretaries of all states, signed by Union home secretary Ajay Bhalla, also clarifies that several hygiene products like soaps, shampoos, detergents, tissue paper, toothpaste, disinfectant etc, also fell into the category of grocery, exempted from the lockdown.
“Grocery include hygiene products such as hand washes, soaps, disinfectants, body wash, shampoos, surface cleaners, detergents and tissue papers, toothpastes/oral care, sanitary pads and diapers, battery cells, chargers etc,” the order said.
On the issue of the exodus of migrants to their home states, the order reiterates that states can use the funds made available under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for food, lodging and quarantine facilities for the stranded migrants and for the workforce which had begun arriving in their respective states.
The order also puts a bar on the further movement of migrants from the states where they were employed and directs the state authorities to provide them with shelter, food and treatment in camps created for the purpose.
