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MHA ISSUES NEW GUIDELINES FOR
RE-OPENING
Ministry
of Home Affairs
MHA ISSUES
NEW GUIDELINES FOR RE-OPENING
GIVES FLEXIBILITY TO STATES UTS FOR OPENING OF SCHOOLS
OPENS UP MORE ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE CONTAINMENT ZONES
STRICT ENFORCEMENT OF LOCKDOWN IN CONTAINMENT ZONES
TILL 31ST
OCTOBER 2020
Posted On: 30 SEP 2020
7:56PM by PIB Delhi
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued new
guidelines today, for opening up of more activities in areas outside the
Containment Zones. In these guidelines, which will come into effect from
October 1, 2020, the process of re-opening of activities has been extended
further. The new
guidelines, issued today, are based on feedback received from States and UTs,
and extensive consultations held with related Central Ministries and
Departments.
SALIENT FEATURES OF THE NEW GUIDELINES
Activities permitted
from 15th October 2020, in areas outside the Containment Zones
·
Cinemas/ theatres/ multiplexes will be
permitted to open with upto 50% of their seating capacity, for which, SOP will
be issued by Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.
·
Business to Business (B2B) Exhibitions will be
permitted to open, for which, SOP will be issued by the Department of Commerce.
·
Swimming pools being used for training of
sportspersons will be permitted to open, for which the standard operating
procedure (SOP) will be issued by Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports
(MoYA&S).
·
Entertainment parks and similar places will be
permitted to open, for which the SOP will be issued by Ministry of Health &
Family Welfare (MoHFW).
Opening of Schools,
colleges, education institutions and coaching institutions
·
For re-opening of schools and coaching
institutions, State/ UT Governments have been given the flexibility to take a
decision after 15th October 2020, in a graded manner. The
decision shall be taken in consultation with the respective school/ institution
management, based on their assessment of the situation, and subject to the
following conditions:
o Online/
distance learning shall continue to be the preferred mode of teaching and shall
be encouraged.
o Where
schools are conducting online classes, and some students prefer to attend
online classes rather than physically attend school, they may be permitted to
do so.
o Students
may attend schools/ institutions only with the written consent of parents.
o Attendance
must not be enforced, and must depend entirely on parental consent.
o States
/UTs will prepare their own SOP regarding health and safety precautions for
reopening of schools/ institutions based on the SOP to be issued by Department
of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education, Government of
India, keeping local requirements in view.
o Schools,
which are allowed to open, will have to mandatorily follow the SOP to be issued
by Education Departments of States/ UTs.
·
Department of Higher Education (DHE), Ministry
of Education may take a decision on the timing of the opening of Colleges/
Higher Education Institutions, in consultation with Ministry of Home Affairs
(MHA), based on the assessment of the situation. Online/ distance learning
shall continue to be the preferred mode of teaching and shall be encouraged.
o However,
Higher Education Institutions only for research scholars (Ph.D) and
post-graduate students in science and technology stream requiring laboratory/
experimental works will be permitted to open from 15th October, 2020, as under:
i.
For Centrally Funded Higher Education
Institutions, the Head of Institution will satisfy herself/ himself that there is
a genuine requirement of research scholars (Ph.D) and post-graduate students in
science and technology stream for laboratory/experimental works.
ii.
For all other Higher Education Institutions
e.g. State Universities, Private Universities etc., they may open only for
research scholars (Ph.D) and postgraduate students in science and technology
stream requiring laboratory/experimental works as per decision to be taken by
the respective State/UT Governments.
Regulation of gatherings
·
Social/ academic/ sports/ entertainment/
cultural/ religious/ political functions and other congregations have already
been permitted with a ceiling of 100 persons, outside Containment Zones
only. Now State/ UT Governments have been given the flexibility to permit
such gatherings beyond the limit of 100 persons, outside Containment Zones,
after 15th October 2020, which will be subject to the following
conditions:
o In
closed spaces, a maximum of 50% of the hall capacity will be allowed, with a
ceiling of 200 persons. Wearing of face masks, maintaining social distancing,
provision for thermal scanning and use of hand wash or sanitizer will be
mandatory.
o In
open spaces, keeping the size of the ground/ space in view, and with strict
observance of social distancing, mandatory wearing of face masks, provision for
thermal scanning and hand wash or sanitizer.
To ensure that such gatherings do not spread
COVID-19, State/ UT Governments will issue detailed SOPs to regulate such
gathering, and strictly enforce the same.
·
All activities, except the following, shall be
permitted outside containment zones:
i.
International air travel of passengers, except
as permitted by MHA.
·
Lockdown shall continue to be implemented
strictly in the Containment Zones till 31st October, 2020.
·
Containment Zones shall be demarcated by the
District authorities at micro level after taking into consideration the
guidelines of MoHFW with the objective of effectively breaking the chain of
transmission. Strict containment measures will be enforced in these containment
zones and only essential activities will be allowed.
·
Within the containment zones, strict perimeter
control shall be maintained and only essential activities allowed.
·
These Containment Zones will be notified on
the websites of the respective District Collectors and by the States/ UTs and
information will also be shared with MOHFW.
States not to impose any
local lockdown outside Containment Zones
·
State/ UT Governments shall not impose any
local lockdown (State/ District/ sub-division/City/ village level), outside the
containment zones, without prior consultation with the Central Government.
No restriction on
Inter-State and intra-State movement
·
There shall be no restriction on inter-State
and intra-State movement of persons and goods. No separate permission/
approval/ e-permit will be required for such movements.
National Directives for
COVID-19 management
·
National Directives for COVID-19 management
shall continue to be followed throughout the country, with a view to ensure
social distancing. Shops will need to maintain adequate physical
distancing among customers. MHA will monitor the effective implementation of
National Directives.
Protection for
vulnerable persons
·
Vulnerable persons, i.e., persons above 65
years of age, persons with co-morbidities, pregnant women, and children below
the age of 10 years, are advised to stay at home, except for meeting essential
requirements and for health purposes.
Use of Aarogya
Setu
·
The use of Aarogya Setu mobile
application will continue to be encouraged.
NW/RK/PK/DDD (Release ID:
1660432)
