Assam SOP: Curfew relaxed till 10pm, Cinema halls allowed to open, unvaccinated Govt. Employees must get a jab within 3 days

By barakbulletin On October 2, 2021 - 7:42 am

The situation of COVID-19 in the State has been further reviewed and the overall case load and positivity rate are declining steadily states Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA).

Major festivals in the State such as Durga Puja, Kali Puja, Dipavali etc will be celebrated in the coming months, leading to large congregation of people in the enclosed spaces. The Health and Family Welfare Department, Assam has vide Order No.HLA 264/2020/55 dated 15th September, 2021 issued general guidelines for Puja and upcoming festivals in Assam (Annexure-B);

Gatherings in enclosed spaces without prior social distancing and maintenance of the COVID-19 protocols runs the risk of spread of Coronavirus and may also give rise to serious difficulties in contact tracing, thereby adversely affecting containment of the spread of COVID-19;

“With the decline in the COVID-19 cases there is a possibility that COVID Appropriate behavior (CAB) is not adhered to strictly, especially during the upcoming festivals,” states ASDMA.

The authority adds, “It is necessary to formulate norms of public gathering during the forthcoming major festivals in the State in order to ensure that people are able to celebrate these festivals with joy and gusto, while at the same time adhering to extant COVID-19 protocols.”

Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers, conferred under Section 22(2)(h) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the Chairperson, State Executive Committee of the State Disaster Management Authority, Assam, do hereby issues the following guidelines, which are to be strictly adhered by all the event organizers /visitors/participants of the proposed festivals in both rural and urban areas which will remain in force w.e.f. 5 AM of October, 02, 2021 until further orders.

A. Containment Zones:

In case the test positivity of COVID-19 in any area reaches more than 10 cases in the last seven days, the jurisdictional District Magistrate will notify such areas as total containment zones in consultation with MD, NHM and ensure necessary containment measures for COVID-19.

However, in such zones, emergency services will continue round the clock and essential services including shops dealing with groceries, fruits and vegetables, dairy and milk booths, animal fodder, etc. will remain open upto usual time of closure but not beyond 10 PM.

Delivery of all essential goods including food, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment through e-commerce in such areas will continue round the clock.

C. Other restrictions and relaxations:

1. All Government servants (including contractual and fixed pay) who have taken at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine shall attend office. However, all other employees except those in whose case vaccination is contra-indicated as per guidelines issued by the Health Department of Government of Assam and /or such claim is certified by a registered medical practitioner will have to get themselves vaccinated within 3 days from the date of issue of this order and attend office.

2. Employees engaged in emergency / essential services shall attend their duty
without any restrictions at any place.

3. The organizations rendering (Government / Private rendering Essential/Emergency Services, Law Enforcement Services and Election work will continue working without any restrictions in all districts.

4. Pregnant women employees and women employees with children of 3 years or below working under any Government / PSU / Financial Institutions / Private Organizations irrespective of their grade shall be eligible to work from home.

5. Persons with disabilities (PwDs) working in any Government/PSU/ Financial Institutions/Private organizations shall be allowed to attend duties.

D. Public Transport (Government and private)

1. Goods transport shall continue unhindered.

2. All Public transport authorities shall enforce COVID-19 appropriate behavior and seating inside the vehicles, carriers, containers etc.

3. Auto Rickshaws, cycle rickshaws and taxis shall operate for passengers with 100% seating capacity and observance of COVID-19 appropriate behavior for passengers having at least a single dose of vaccine.

4. Pillion riding on motorcycles may be allowed with at least single vaccinated persons and compulsory wearing of mask.

5. Intra-district transport, with 100% seating capacity subject to observance of COVID-19 appropriate behaviour, shall be allowed for passengers having at least single dose of vaccine.

No standing passenger shall be allowed. Heavy fine will be imposed on such passengers and driving license of the driver/ registration of the vehicle will also be cancelled in the event of carrying standing passengers.

6. All inter-district passenger transport and movement shall be allowed with 100% passengers having at least single dose of vaccine subject to observance of COVID-19 appropriate behaviour.

7. Wearing of face mask is mandatory even for a single person driving a vehicle. In case of persons traveling in any private car, up to 100 % of its seating capacity, wearing of face mask is mandatory for all the persons.

E. Educational Institutions (Government and Private):

The guidelines issued by Education Department vide Order No.ASE 01/2020/Pt II/169 dated 28th September,2021 for Elementary, Upper Primary Schools and Degree Colleges/Engineering Colleges/Polytechnics/ 4/32 i colleges/Universities will be applicable for both government, private educational institutions to be followed.

G. Miscellaneous

1. Wearing of face mask is compulsory in all public places.

2. Shop owners shall ensure minimum six feet distance among customers and shall not allow more than 5 persons inside the shop. In addition, shop owners should compulsorily keep sanitizers and hand wash in their shops.

3. Shopkeepers and customers shall have to wear masks, hand gloves and maintain social distancing. Responsibility of maintenance of social distancing will be on the shop owner and failure to do so will be viewed very seriously and may entail summary closure of defaulting shops.

4. Industrial units and Tea gardens may function subject to observance of COVID appropriate behaviour. Head of the unit/tea garden shall be responsible for ensuring social distancing, mask wearing by workers and staff, sanitization of industrial premises, thermal scanning etc.

5. Operation of physical activities of Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC) including e-auction are allowed with 50% of the total work force till normal working hours but not beyond 9 PM including tea tasting, sampling, brokering. Warehousing is fully exempted.

6. Excise authority will continue taking strong action against illegal production and sale of country liquor in all the districts as a COVID containment measure. 7. All vehicles will be allowed to ply without any odd-even restrictions.

H. Special Advisory for Durga Puja

1. There shall be no Mela etc. in and around the Puja pandals.

2. No temporary pandals shall be allowed to be erected on and by the side of any street.

3. A maximum of 40 persons inclusive of organizers, devotees and priests shall be allowed to gather at any time in the Puja pandals subject to there being sufficient space to maintain social distancing.

4. Puja organizers should not allow any person to enter the Puja premises without face cover and washing of hands. It will be the responsibility of the Puja organizers to arrange for facilities for hand washing/sanitization at entrance of Puja premises.

5. All visitors to Puja location shall be subjected to thermal scanning by Puja organizers and no person with any symptom related to COVID-19 shall be allowed to enter the Puja pandals.

6. All organizers and volunteers must be at least vaccinated with one dose of vaccine and preferably with two doses of vaccination.

7. In case any person/visitor to Puja pandal is suspected to be symptomatic with COVID-19, it will be the responsibility of the Puja organizers to inform the nearest Government medical facility and arrange for shifting of such persons to the nearest COVID treatment centre.

8. No permission for immersion procession shall be given under any circumstances. 9. The size of the idol should be such that not more than three persons are required for immersion. For smooth and convenient immersion, it is advised that puja organizers may go in for a modular idol which is assembled from parts, the height of which should not be more than 10 feet. Further, it is advised that in case of an idol made of compact monolithic material the height may be confined to a maximum of 6 feet for smooth immersion.

Deputy Commissioners shall make necessary arrangements to ensure that the immersion is staggered over three day period to avoid congestion and large gathering on any one day.