District Collector Bhandari Swagat Ranveerchand has relaxed COVID-related restrictions imposed in all areas except local bodies with containment zones and micro containment zones in the district.
The Collector said that shops, markets, banks, offices, financial institutions, factories, industrial establishments and tourist resorts could function from Monday to Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., in accordance with the COVID protocol. Only one person would be allowed within a 25 sqft space. Hotels and restaurants could make online deliveries until 9.30 p.m. Information on the vaccination of employees in all these institutions and the number of people allowed to be present at a time should be clearly displayed. It was the responsibility of the business owner to prevent crowding and congestion, said Ms. Ranveerchand.
She said all public sector institutions such as government offices, public sector undertakings, companies, autonomous bodies, and commissions could open from Monday to Friday. Only those who had taken at least one dose of the COVID vaccine, and who had an RT-PCR negative certificate taken within 72 hours would be admitted to these places. This provision does not apply to children with adults.
Travel would be allowed for essential purposes such as vaccination, COVID test, other treatments, purchase of medicines, marriage of close relatives, death, examination, and travel.
All public and private vehicles could be operated in strict compliance with the COVID protocol. All university exams, sports selection trials, competitive exams and recruitment rallies could be held. Activities of schools, colleges, tuition centres and movie theatres were not be permitted, she said. Accommodation in hotels and resorts was permitted in strict compliance with the COVID protocol in bio-bubble mode. However, dining inside hotels was not allowed. Malls could work only for online deliveries.
Public events and political, social and cultural events would not be permitted. Funerals and marriages could be attended by up to 20 persons. Strictly adhering to the COVID-19 criteria, a maximum of 40 persons would be allowed to enter places of worship.
The police, local self government departments and sectoral magistrates should take steps to prevent crowding in shops. There would be a complete lockdown in the district on August 8 Sunday, the Collector said.
