All shops must shut at 2, night curfew from 6 pm, only 2 passengers in auto rickshaws: New SOP of Assam Govt

The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) has vide order of 30-04-2021 issued consolidated and revised guidelines for all districts for containment of COVID-19 pandemic in Assam. Whereas, the positivity rate of COVID-19 cases in the state has shown a significant rise, the government body finds it increasingly necessitating a revisit of the existing directives.

In the context of the continuing surge of infections in the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic, the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India vide its Order dated 30th April 2021 in Suo Motu Writ Petition (Civil) No.3 of 2021 has directed the State Governments to take measures to curb the spread of the virus and urged to consider imposing a ban on mass gathering and super spreader events in the interest of public welfare.

“Now, therefore in exercise of the powers, conferred under Section 22(2) (h) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the undersigned, in his capacity as Chairperson, State Executive Committee of the State Disaster Management Authority, Assam, hereby issues the revised and consolidated directives as follows which shall be in supersession of all earlier orders and shall come in force from 5.00 AM of May 5, 2021 and remain in force until further orders,” states an order issued by the government of Assam.

The order makes it clear that 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.

Also, 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, Magistracy, Police, Enforcement wing of District Transport Officer and Enforcement wing of Guwahati Municipal Corporation in their respective jurisdictions.

A. Containment Zones: 

In case the test positivity of COVID-19 reaches 10% or more in the last one week or Bed Occupancy either oxygen supported or ICU beds crosses 60% in a large geographical area or a city or district or well-defined parts thereof, jurisdictional district magistrates will decide on declaring such areas as containment zones and ensure necessary containment measures for COVID-19 as envisaged in MoHFW, Gol advisory dated 25th Apri1,2021 annexed with MHA order dated 29th ApriI.2021 (Annexure-A).

B. Gatherings

1. No meeting / gathering at any open or closed spaces shall be allowed:

2. For marriages, only religious part will be allowed with presence of maximum of 20 (twenty) persons. No reception parties will be allowed post or pre marriage.

3. At all religious places, congregation of not more than five persons shall be allowed at any time.

4. Funeral / last rites related gatherings shall not be more than 20 persons for each deceased.

5. All shops and commercial establishments shall shut down at 2.00 PM on all days

6. Restaurants, Dhabas and other eateries can entertain dine-in guest only up to 2 00 PM. Takeaway including home delivery of food is allowed till 6 00 PM after which only home delivery of food will be allowed.

7. Restaurants operating within a Hotel or Resort can allow outside guests up to 2 00 PM only. However, in-house guests of the Hotel/Resort may be allowed to dine-in up to the usual time of operation.

8. Delivery of essential goods through e-Commerce may continue with observance of COVID appropriate behavior.

9. Cold storages and warehouses may continue after 2.00 PM. However, sale counters showrooms etc. attached to these warehouses or cold storages shall not operate after 2.00 PM.

10. Pharmacies, Hospitals, Animal Care Centres and Veterinary clinics may operate without restrictions being providers of essential and emergency services

C. Work Places (Government and Private)

1. All offices both private and Government shall shut down at 2.00 PM (1400 Hrs) on all days.

2. Except officers, only 50% employees can work from office. However, 1 and 2 above will not be applicable for organizations rendering Essential/Emergency Services, Law Enforcement Services and Election work.

3. Pregnant women employees and women with children of 5 years or below working under any Government / PSU / Financial Institutions / Private Organizations irrespective of their grade shall be eligible to work from home.

4. Persons with disabilities (PwDs) working in any Government/PSU/ Financial Institutions/Private organizations shall be exempted from attending duties in consonance with the 0.M No.11013/9/2014/Estt.(A.111) dated 1st April, 2020 issued by DoPT, Gol. However, they may be encouraged to work from home.

D. Educational Institutions (Government and Private)

1 All Educational Institutions including Schools/Colleges/Universities must provide quality virtual options.

2 Education Department will issue detail guideline/SOP for uninterrupted education service keeping in view of the COVID-19 precautionary measures

E. Public Transport (Government and Private)

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

2 Auto Rickshaws, cycle rickshaws and taxis shall operate with one driver and two passengers maintaining social distancing

3 City buses, Intra-district, Inter•district and Inter-state buses will be allowed to operate with 50% of seating capacity

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

F. Night Curfew

There shall be total ban on movement of individuals from 6.00 PM to 5.00 AM daily. Except for exemptions as follows:

1. All Officials and persons, both government and private involved in emergency services and all other essential services on production of valid Identity card.

2. All Judicial officers / officials of courts of Assam on production of valid Identity card

3. 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)

4. Pregnant women and patients for getting medical /health services.

5. Person coming from/going to Airports/Railway stations/ISBTs allowed to travel on production of valid ticket.

6. 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.

7. Electronic and print Media on production of valid Identity card.

8. There shall be no restriction on inter-state and intra-state movement I transportation of essential / non-essential goods. No separate permission / e-pass will be required for such movements.

9. Movement of persons related to commercial and private establishments providing following essential services/commodities shall be allowed:

I. Shops dealing with food, groceries, fruits & vegetables, dairy & milk booths. meat & fish, animal fodder, pharmaceuticals, medicines and medical equipments.

II. Banks, Insurance offices and ATMs.

III. Telecommunications, Internet services, Broadcasting and Cable services, IT and IT enabled services.

IV. Delivery of all essential goods including food, pharmaceuticals. medical equipments through e-commerce.

V. Petrol pumps, LPG, CNG, petroleum and gas retail and storage outlets.

VI. Power generation, transmission and distribution units and services.

VII. Cold storage and warehousing services.

VIII. Private security services.

IX. Manufacturing units of essential commodities.

X. Production units or services, which require continuous process

10. Persons who are going for COVID-19 vaccination.

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.