Coronavirus lockdown: Shops selling educational books, fans allowed to open, says MHA

Shops selling educational book shops and electric fans as well as the inter-state movement of planting materials and honey bee colonies, honey and other beehive products will be allowed during the COVID-19 lockdown period, with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday announcing further relaxations.

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A fresh order was issued by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla allowing these and other services, even as the MHA also clarified that caregivers of senior citizens residing with them, prepaid mobile recharge utilities and food processing units in urban areas are also part of the existing exemptions already announced.

The order, which adds more services to the revised guidelines was published on April 15 and additions and exclusions later on April 16 and April 19, provides more services under agriculture and commercial sectors as well as the movement of persons.

Under the agriculture sector, facilities for export and import such as pack houses, inspection and treatment facilities for seeds and horticulture products are also allowed. Movement within and outside the state of planting materials and honey bee colonies, honey and beehive products are also allowed.

Providing further relaxations in commercial and private establishments, shops of educational books for students and shops of electrical fans have now been permitted to function.

The government has already asked educational institutions to start online classes while progressing summer has made authorities to relax operations of shops selling fans.

Forest offices involved in activities like forestry plantation and related activities, including Silviculture operations are also allowed.

The MHA also announced a Standard Operating Procedure for sign-on and sign-off of Indian seafarers at Indian Ports and their movement, noting that change of crew of a ship is an important measure for the operation of merchant ships.

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Earlier in a separate letter to states, Bhalla also said the exemptions already available allows exemptions to "bed-side attendants and caregivers of senior citizens residing in their homes". This was clarified by the MHA after receiving "some queries" regarding exemptions of specific services and activities within the categories already allowed in the guidelines issued on April 15 for the extended period of lockdown till May 3.

Under utilities, recharge facilities for prepaid mobile connections and supply of essential goods, food processing units such as bread factories, milk processing plants, flour mills and dal mills located in urban areas also have exemptions.

"As specified in the lockdown measures, the National COVID-19 Directives and Standard Operating Procedure for social distancing for offices, workshops, factories and establishments must be ensured," he said.