Girish Dayalan, District Magistrate, SAS Nagar, in exercise of powers conferred under Section 144 of Cr. PC has issued orders pertaining relaxations in curfew (in addition to those already in place) that Shops and Commercial Establishments registered under The Shops and Establishments Act shall be allowed to operate in Rural Areas with 50% strength. In Urban Areas All stand-alone shops, neighbourhood shops and shops in residential complexes would be permitted to open. However, Single/ Multi-Brand Malls or Multiplexes or shops in market complexes shall not be allowed. Besides, the shops that have been allowed to open in urban and rural are those shops which deal in goods only. Shops/ establishments dealing in services like saloons, barber shops, etc. would continue to remain closed. It is also clarified that restaurants shall not be allowed to open and shall remain closed except for home delivery with specific prior permission of the undersigned.Moreover, all shops shall be open from 7 AM to 11 AM only and all shops shall open on a staggered rotational basis implying that at any point no more than 50% units shall open in a single neighbourhood/ residential complex/ sector/ bazaar. Area SDMs/ DSPs shall work out the plan with the respective Traders Association to ensure staggering/ rotation. The plan shall be duly publicised by way of muniadi for the benefit of the citizens residing in the neighbourhood/ residential complex/ sector. For instance, in case of Mohali city, where shops have numbers, those with Even Numbers can open on Day 1 (Monday) and those with Odd numbers can open on Tuesday, and so forth. But no Shop shall open on Sunday. However, this will not be applicable to home delivery of essential commodities which may continue on Sunday as well. Orders state the Conditions to be strictly observed including Only one member of the family/ household shall be allowed to step out for procuring supplies, The supplies should, so far as possible, be procured from nearest shop in the vicinity avoiding the use of vehicles, Immediately after the necessary purchases, the person shall return to his home, all shall compulsorily wear masks and follow s o c i a l distancing guidelines to avoid crowding and Persons over 65, small children, and persons with co-morbid conditions must continue to remain at home. Further, all shops shall demarcate (with a sign/ circle etc.) area where people can await their turn – to follow social distancing guidelines. They shall also regularly sanitize/ disinfect their premises. At the end of relaxation i.e. 11 AM, all shall return home, even those awaiting their turn at a shop. Shop owners and personnel shall be permitted one hour for winding up with shutters down. Any person found violating the same shall be criminally liable.No curfew pass shall be required by members of the public to go out during this time. It is clarified that shops of essential commodities such as food including groceries, fruit, vegetables and meat etc., milk including milk products and chemists were already open for home delivery earlier without restrictions of timing. Now walk-in customers can be entertained from 7-11 AM only.
Thereafter, they can resume home deliveries/ operate as before.It is further clarified that as per MHA Guidelines, movement of all trucks and other goods/ carrier vehicles – without distinction of essential/ nonessential shall be allowed without passes. This would include an empty truck/ vehicle plying after the delivery of goods, or for pick-up of goods.The Industrial Establishments (both Govt. & Private) that shall be allowed to operate include All Industries mentioned by MHA ie Industries operating in rural areas i.e. outside the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities, Manufacturing and other industrial establishments with access control in Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Export Oriented Units (EoUs) industrial estates, and industrial townships.These establishments shall all make arrangements for stay of workers within their premises as far as possible and/ or adjacent buildings and for implementation of the Standard operating protocol (SOP). The transportation of workers to workplace shall be arranged by the employers in dedicated transport by ensuring social distancing.Other units permitted to operate are Manufacturing units of essential goods including drugs, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, their raw material and intermediates, Food processing industries in rural areas, i.e., outside the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities, Production units, which require continuous process, and their supply chain, Manufacturing of IT hardware, Coal production, mines and mineral production, their transportation, supply of explosives and activities incidental to mining operations, Manufacturing units of packaging material,. Jute industries with staggered shifts and social distancing, Oil and gas exploration/ refinery, Brick kilns in rural areas i.e., outside the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities.However, As per directions of DoH, GoP, all categories of industries have to mandatorily follow the SOP i.e. either housing facilities have to be provided in the factory or in the adjacent buildings or specially dedicated transportation facilities have to be arranged (or on foot or bi-cycle) for the labour/ workers.
Additionally, required curfew passes for special transport of workers i.e. transport arranged by employer and those for management/ proprietors (to move by own transport but not exceeding 15% of the strength of the unit) shall be issued by Designated Nodal Officer in consultation with the Industry Association. Passes can be issued for buses/ transport arranged by vehicle number; and in the form of list of managers/ workers and vehicle numbers etc. for each unit.Permission for Construction Activities details that in Rural Areas Construction Activities are allowed for all construction whether new or ongoing without any restrictions. But, in Urban Areas, Only on-going projects subject to availability of workers at site i.e. in-situ construction (as earlier) including personal / residential / commercial buildings etc. The stone crushers, mining of sand and gravel and its transport, shall be allowed to operate only to service these construction activities mentioned and for no other purpose. All such units shall make an application to the District Mining Officer along with proof of order. The District Mining Officer shall verify all such applications and accord necessary permission to commence operations. In addition, for Industry & Construction activity it is clarified that as per guidelines of DoH, GoP, They shall be allowed to move their labour/ workers on cycles or foot if they are residing within a short distance – as labour being stationed in the premises i.e. factory quarantine /in-situ construction means that the labour is not dependent on public transport. Further, no permission shall be required to restart the operations/ resume construction if conditions are met and they are covered under the given exemptions. Only a self-declaration to the effect that they shall adhere to SoP/ National Directives of GoI and GoP may be mailed to GM, Industries, Mohali ([email protected]). Nodal Officer shall make random checks to ensure the same.It may be observed that this order shall not be applicable to any containment zone as declared by the District Magistrate from time to time and the opening of any shop, establishment or industry in a containment zone shall be strictly prohibited. Any violations shall invite criminal proceedings under the relevant provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and the Indian Penal Code, 1860.