Employees of IT and ITeS companies can work from office for their night shift operations during the night curfew and weekend lockdown, Karnataka's Industries Department said on Friday.
Bakeries and confectioneries are also permitted to operate as they come under the essential food and food processing category, according to a circular issued by Additional Chief Secretary (Commerce & Industries), Rajkumar Khatri.
The circular listed out industrial activities that are to be considered "essential" during Karnataka’s Covid-19 guidelines that will be in force till May 4.
Manufacturing units of bulk drugs, pharmaceuticals, sanitation materials, oxygen, medical devices, medical textiles and intermediaries such as surgical equipment, liquid soap, ayurvedic/homeopathic and so on are "activities of essential commodities," the circular said.
Similarly, food-related establishments that include biscuits, rice mills, oil mills, dairy products, ice plants, agro-based industries like chilli and turmeric, packaged drinking water plants are allowed.
Continuous process industries that include petroleum refineries, large steel/cement plants, sugar mills, fertilizers, tyre manufacturing plants and so on are permitted.
According to the circular, staffers who are engaged in maintenance and operations of data centres and other critical IT infrastructure are allowed to work from office.
“In the case of other industries that are not exempted, essential maintenance needed for the purposes of fire safety, machine safety and worker safety shall be permitted during Sundays,” the circular said.
Warehousing and logistics activities of ecommerce companies, agro & food processing industries are also allowed.
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