Lockdown 3.0: Commercial activities to begin in ‘red zone’ GB Nagar district

The Uttar Pradesh government has given its nod for industries in urban areas , export oriented units , industrial estates and industrial townships of Gautam Budh

The Uttar Pradesh government has given its nod for industries in urban areas , export oriented units , industrial estates and industrial townships of Gautam Budh Nagar to begin functioning from Monday onwards. However, as Gautam Budh Nagar falls under the red-zone category, no vehicles, other than those related to essential services and carrying bona fide passes, will be allowed to enter or exit the district till the lockdown ends on May 17, 2020. This rule will be valid for both inter-state and inter-district movement of vehicles.

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District magistrate Suhas LY, on Sunday, said that other industrial activities permitted are manufacturing units producing essential goods, including drugs, pharmaceutical products and their raw materials. Production units requiring continuous process, supply chain, manufacture of IT hardware, units producing packaging materials, construction activities with employees on site and construction of renewable energy projects have also been allowed.

Units having more than 50 employees will have to ensure timely pick-up and drop of their employees within the relaxation hours (7am to 7pm).

While shops selling non-essential goods in malls, markets and market complexes will continue to remain shut, all standalone shops, colony shops and shops in residential complexes have been permitted to stay open. E-commerce activities will only be allowed for essential goodss,” he said.

The district magistrate further said that intensive surveillance mechanism, as outlined in the standard operating protocol (SOP) issued by the Union ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW), will be strictly adhered to across the district. “It has been mandatory for all the residents carrying smartphones to install Aarogya Setu app on their phones, for better contact tracing and proper monitoring of all cases with severe acute respiratory infection (SARI), influenza like illness (ILI), and other symptoms,” he said.

Stating that the movement of individuals, for all non-essential activities, has been strictly prohibited between 7 pm to 7 am, in accordance with Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code as the district falls in red zone category, the DM said that persons above 65 years of age, persons with co-morbidit conditions, pregnant women and children below the age of 10 years, will have to mandatorily stay at home, except for meeting essential requirements and for health purposes. “Out-patient departments (OPDs) and medical clinics have been permitted to operate in the district, if they are not located in the containment zones,” he said.

The DM also said that even liquor shops, outside the containment zones, have been permitted to open, with a condition that the last customer reaches his/her home before the 12 hour curfew time beginning at 7pm every day. “Standalone liquor shops will be opened. But, the licencees have been asked to maintain the two yard social distancing norms and ensure that the last customer reaches home before the curfew starts,” he said.

Suhas also said that private offices have been allowed to operate with maximum 33% strength, with the remaining staff being asked to work from home. “The working hours of the industrial and commercial units can be increased with mutual consent of employers and their respective workers. Plying of rickshaws and auto rickshaws; running of taxis and cab aggregators; intra-district and inter-district plying of buses, besides standalone barber shops, spas and saloons are not allowed in the district,” he said.

The district administration has also decided to permit all industrial and construction activities in rural areas, including MNREGA work, food-processing units and brick-kilns. “All agriculture activities, including sowing, harvesting, procuring and marketing operations in the agricultural supply chain are permitted. Animal husbandry activities and fisheries are also allowed,” the district magistrate said.