by Pankaj Yadav
NEW DELHI, May 2 (NNN-PTI) – The Indian government extended the ongoing Lock-down beyond May 3, by two weeks, in a bid to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, said a press release issued by the Ministry of Home (Internal Security) Affairs.
The ongoing second phase of Lock-down was to end on May 3. Now, it has been extended till May 17. India has remained under Lock-down since Mar 25.
The extension means all schools, colleges, educational institutions, shopping malls/markets, and modes of transportation will continue to remain shut. Though, according to the new guidelines, issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, some relaxations would be allowed in those areas which have no COVID-19 cases.
“After a comprehensive review and in view of the Lock-down measures having led to significant gains in the COVID-19 situation in the country, the Ministry of Home Affairs ordered to extend the Lock-down for a further period of two weeks,” said an official press release.
“Movement of persons by air, rail, and road is allowed for select purposes and for purposes as permitted by the Ministry of Home Affairs,” added the press release.
The Ministry also issued new guidelines to regulate different activities in this period (till May 17), based on the risk profiling of the districts of the country into Red, Green and Orange Zones. The guidelines permit relaxations in the districts falling in the Green and Orange Zones.
The Green Zones are districts with either zero confirmed cases to date, or no confirmed case in the last 21 days. Those districts which are neither defined as Red nor Green shall be classified as Orange Zones.
Meanwhile, a district with the highest case load, contributing to more than 80 percent cases of each state, or a district with doubling rate in less than four days, is classified as a Red Zone.
The new guidelines also prescribed certain measures for the well-being and safety of persons. Hence, movement of individuals for all non-essential activities shall remain strictly prohibited between 7:00 p.m. till 7:00 a.m. local time.
Under the new guidelines, a limited number of activities will remain prohibited throughout the country irrespective of Zones. Those activities include travel by air, rail, metro, and inter-state movement by road, running of schools, hospitality services, places of large public gatherings, such as cinema halls and shopping malls.
As per the latest figures, a total of 1,152 COVID-19 related deaths, and a total of 35,365 positive cases have been recorded in India.– NNN-PTI