Assam Govt’s new SOP: Night Curfew from 10pm to 6am, schools shut upto 5, mall entry only for fully vaccinated

The Chief Secretary, Assam, Jishnu  Barua on Friday released a letter giving details of the new SOPs to be followed by the state. The same will be followed till January 31, 2022 as of now.

1. 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 zone 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 up to usual time of closure.

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

1. Restrictions imposed:

Except for exemptions given in Annexure “III”,

1. Other restrictions and relaxations:
2. All Government servants (including contractual and fixed pay) should be fully vaccinated and shall attend office. Employees who are not fully vaccinated will not be allowed to attend office and they will have to avail leave, if available or extra ordinary leave for which they will not be paid salary.

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 and attend office.

2. Employees engaged in emergency / essential services shall attend their duty without any restrictions at any place.
3. The organizations (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 attend office. Persons with disabilities (PwDs) working in any Government/PSU/ Financial Institutions/Private organizations shall be allowed to attend duties.

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 who are fully vaccinated. Pillion riding on motorcycles may be allowed who are fully vaccinated.with at least single vaccinated persons and compulsory wearing of mask. Intra-district transport, with 100% seating capacity subject to observance of COVID-19 appropriate behaviour, shall be allowed for passengers who are fully vaccinated. having at least single dose of vaccine.
4. 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
5. All inter-district passenger transport and movement shall be allowed with 100% passengers who are fully vaccinated, having at least single dose of vaccine, subject to observance of COVID-19 appropriate behaviour.
6. 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
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.

Educational Institutions (Government and Private):

1. 1. All Educational Institutions including Schools/Colleges/Universities shall continue to provide quality virtual options.
   2. All schools upto Class VIII in Kamrup-Metropolitan district and upto Class V in all other districts shall remain closed. No physical classes are allowed.
   3. Physical classes shall be allowed on alternate days for class IX and above in Kamrup-Metro district and for class VI and above in all other districts.
   4. The physical classes in respect of Degree/Post-Graduate final year students of Engineering/Medical Colleges may be allowed with fully vaccinated students.

Gatherings:

Omicron specific regulation

1. 1. All District Magistrates, Superintendent of Police, and all other authorities concerned shall be responsible for ensuring COVID Appropriate Behaviour viz. wearing of masks, maintaining social distancing, regular hand washing and use of sanitizer, maintaining health hygiene, no spitting etc. in all shops, malls, markets, market complexes, weekly markets, restaurants, ISBTs, railway platforms / stations, cinemas /theatres / multiplexes, auditoriums / assembly halls, banquet halls / marriage halls, schools, colleges, educational / coaching institutes, religious places etc. for containment of COVID-19 virus.

1. All District Magistrates, Superintendent of Police should ensure that the people who visit the above mentioned places strictly follow COVID Appropriate Behaviour and are wearing masks, maintaining social distancing etc. without fail. If the aforesaid norms of COVID Appropriate Behaviour are not maintained at any establishment/ business premises/weekly market/ schools, colleges, educational / coaching institutes, libraries, religious places etc, then such premises/ weekly market shall be liable to be closed for containing the spread of COVID-19 virus and the defaulter shall also be liable for criminal prosecution under the relevant laws.

3. All District Magistrates and Superintendent of Police shall deploy sufficient number of teams for keeping utmost vigil at public places and for enforcing COVID Appropriate Behaviour so as to avoid any possibility of surge in COVID-19 cases.

Miscellaneous

1. Wearing of face mask is compulsory in all public places and non-compliance of the same will attract fine.
2. Non-vaccinated people shall not be allowed entry in public spaces / places ( except hospitals ) w.e.f. January 15, 2022. All people are mandated to carry proof of being fully vaccinated at all the places. The owners of such public/private enterprises shall be responsible to ensure that the entrants are fully vaccinated by checking their vaccination status. Failure to do so shall attract penal action.
3. Shop owners shall ensure minimum six feet distance among customers and shall not allow more than 5 persons inside the shop at any time. In addition, shop owners should compulsorily keep sanitizers and hand wash in their shops.
4. Shopkeepers and customers shall have to wear masks 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.
5. 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.

Deputy Commissioners and Excise authority will continue taking strong action against illegal production and sale of country liquor in all the districts as a COVID containment measure.

Penal Provisions:-

1. Any person violating these measures will be liable to be proceeded against as per provisions of Section 51 to 60 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, besides legal action under Sec. 188 of IPC and other legal provisions as applicable.
2. Any person not wearing face mask and/ or spitting in public places shall be fined to the tune of Rs.1000 vide ASDMA’s earlier Order No. ASDMA/24/2020/Part 1/122 dt. 14/10/2020 which can be imposed by District wise Task Force comprising of District Disaster Management Authority, Magistrates, Police, Enforcement wing of District Transport Officer and Enforcement wing of Guwahati Municipal Corporation in their respective jurisdictions.

Annexure-III

1. Following categories of persons are exempted from the purview of restriction on movement (as notified by jurisdictional DDMA) during curfew hours:
2. All Officials and persons, both government and private involved in emergency services such as Health and Family Welfare and all related medical establishments, Police, Prisons, Home Guards, Civil Defence, Fire and emergency services, District Administration,  Pay & Account Office,  Electricity, Water  and  Sanitation, Public Transport (Air/Railways/Buses) including all incidental services/activities that are essential for smooth functioning  of all modes of public transport ( such as handling of cargo, ticketing, air freight station, CFS, lCD etc.), Disaster Management and related services, IMD,CWC, Water Resources Department, PHE,  NIC, NCC, Indian Red Cross Society, Postal Department and Municipal  services,  and  all other  essential services  on  production of  valid  Identity card. The uninterrupted delivery of public services shall be ensured by the concerned departments/agencies.
3. All Judicial officers / officials of courts of Assam on production of valid Identity card.
4. All private medical personnel such as doctors, nursing staff, paramedical staff etc. and other hospital services (such as hospitals, diagnostic centres, clinics,  pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies and other medical & health services),
5. Pregnant women and patients for getting medical /health services.
6. Person coming from/going to Airports/Railway stations/ISBTs allowed to travel on production of valid ticket.
7. Officers/officials related to functioning of offices of Diplomats of various countries as well as persons holding any constitutional post on production of valid Identity card.
8. Electronic and print Media on production of valid Identity card.
9. There shall be no restriction on inter-state and intra-state movement / transportation of essential / non-essential goods. No separate permission / e-pass will be required for such movements.
10. Movement of persons related to commercial and private establishments providing following essential services/commodities shall be allowed:
11. Shops dealing with food, groceries, fruits & vegetables, dairy & milk booths, meat & fish, animal fodder, pharmaceuticals, medicines and medical equipment.
12. Banks, Insurance offices and ATMs.
13. Telecommunications, Internet services, Broadcasting and Cable services, IT and IT enabled services.
14. Delivery of all essential goods including food, pharmaceuticals, medical equipments through e-commerce.
15. Petrol pumps, LPG, CNG, petroleum and gas retail and storage outlets.
16. Power generation, transmission and distribution units and services.
17. Cold storage and warehousing services.
18. Private security services.
19. Manufacturing units of essential commodities.
20. Production units or services, which require continuous process.
21. Persons who are going for COVID-19 vaccination.
22. All the officials/persons entrusted with election related works either by Government authorities or by private enterprises or by the authorities of any political party or contesting candidate on production of a valid Identity card/ engagement letter / appointment order / work order.
23. All the employees / persons involved in operations related to forestry under the Environment & Forest department on production of valid Identity card.
24. Organizations involved in humanitarian / philanthropic works such as supply of cooked food to the COVID patients, feeding of stray animals subject to obtaining prior permission from the jurisdictional DC.
25. Following activities are allowed during curfew hours:
26. All Agricultural implement supply and maintenance activities may be allowed.
27. Hotels which are accommodating quarantined persons, medical and emergency staff, air crew may be allowed to operate with skeletal service.
28. Continuous process industries may be allowed to function, subject to workforce staying in the premises without outwards/inwards movement during the curfew timing.
29. Agricultural and Tea Garden activities shall continue with strict observance of COVID-19 appropriate behaviour.
30. Activities relating to supply of essential goods from and to FCI establishments shall continue.
31. Hospitals and other related medical establishment including their manufacturing and distribution units both in public and private sector such as dispensaries, chemist and medical equipment shops, laboratories, clinics, nursing homes, ambulances etc. will continue to remain functional. The transportation of all medical personnel, nurses, paramedical staff, other hospital support services be permitted;
32. Private security services shall continue;
33. Manufacturing units of essential commodities shall continue.
34. Railway offices and persons directly linked with operation of passenger and goods trains shall continue to operate.
35. Bank, Insurance Company and other financial institutions are allowed to work with skeletal staff. ATMs shall continue to operate 24×7.
36. Medicine Distributors and C&F can operate round the clock with optimum workforce for maintaining supply chain of medicines.