JOIN USKerala's lockdown relaxations violation of guidelines: MHA
As Kerala prepared to provide relaxations in districts depending on the severity of COVID-19 spread, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has asked the state government to "rectify" its directions that included allowing bus travel and opening of barber shops and restaurants, saying they were "dilution" and "violation" of its April 15 lockdown guidelines.
Citing the observations Supreme Court made on March 31 that it trusts state governments and citizens will "faithfully comply" with the directives of the Centre, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said in a letter to Kerala on Sunday that this should be treated as "directions" of the apex court. Kerala was to kick in relaxations from Monday in seven out of 14 districts after grading them into Red, Orange-A, Orange-B and Green zones.
Bhalla also wrote to other states as well reminding them that Clause 4(i) and (ii) of the April 15 guidelines have made it clear that the states cannot dilute the directions in any manner and should strictly enforce. It only allowed states to impose stricter measures in local areas.
In his letter to Kerala Chief Secretary Tom Jose, the Home Secretary said the Kerala government order has allowed opening up of activities which are "prohibited" in the April 15 guidelines of the MHA.
On April 17, Bhalla said, the Kerala government circulated the guidelines among District Collectors and Superintendents of Police among others, which allowed opening up of local workshops, barber shops, restaurants, book stores, micro, medium and small scale industries in urban area, bus travel in cities and towns for a distance up to 60 km, two passengers on the back seat of four-wheelers and allowing pillion rider on two-wheelers.
This amounts to "dilution" of guidelines and "violation" of the MHA order issued on April 15 under the Disaster Management Act 2005, Bhalla said in the letter. "I would urge you to rectify the guidelines of the Government of Kerala in line with the consolidated revised guidelines dated 15 April, 2020 and 16 April, 2020 without any dilution to ensure strict compliance of lockdown measures," Bhalla said.
Senior Kerala Minister Kadakampally Surendran said the state has given relaxations abiding by directions issued by Centre. "Centre may have asked for an explanation, due to some misunderstanding. Once we give an explanation, I hope the issue will be solved. We followed all norms set by the Centre," he said.
Kerala Chief Secretary Tom Jose said, "we are discussing what can be done. If needed, necessary modifications will be made."
In identical letters to other states, Bhalla said it has come to notice that some of the states were issuing orders allowing activities, which have not been allowed as per guidelines issued by the MHA.
"I would urge you to ensure compliance of the revised consolidated guidelines and direct all concerned authorities for their strict implementation in letter and spirit without any dilution and to ensure strict compliance of lockdown measures," he said.