SHILLONG: The state government has adopted a model of one day open and two days’ closure from March 23 so that social distancing can be effectively enforced in the state.
Chief Secretary MS Rao, in a statement, said on Sunday that for the three-day period of March 23-25, the open day will be March 23 (Monday) and on this day, shops, stalls, go downs and establishments which are dealing with essential items and services, including pharmacies, grocery shops, vegetable & fruit vendors, meat & fish vendors, shops selling rice, pulses, wheat, grams, millets, toiletries, take away food outlets, LPG cylinder outlets and deliveries, petrol pumps, banks and ATMs will be open. However, operation of all other commercial and business establishments will be prohibited. The same order will be applicable on March 26.
The movement of all public transport including local taxis and auto rickshaws will be restricted and only 25 per cent of such vehicles will be allowed to ply in the three districts of East Khasi Hills, West Garo Hills and West Jaintia Hills on Monday and Thursday.
Odd and even numbers
In a separate statement, East Khasi Hills District Transport Officer R Hinge said that on Monday, the local taxis with odd number series, ML05 D, E, F, G, H, J and K will be allowed to ply and for auto rickshaw, odd number series ML05D will be allowed.
On Thursday, local taxis with even number series ML05 B, C, D, F, G, H, J and K and auto rickshaw, MLO5 C 0390 to ML05 C 8332 is allowed. The remaining local taxis and auto rickshaws, not included in both odd and even series, will be off the road.
On March 24, 25, 27, 28 and 29, all local taxis and auto rickshaws will not be allowed to ply on the road in East Khasi Hills, the transport official said.
The chief secretary said for the period of March 24-25, the operation of all commercial and business establishments and assembly or gathering of five or more persons in all public areas, premises, commercial and residential localities beyond the individual households is prohibited.
Security forces and medical teams on duty, pharmacies and all essential services including health services, MeECL, PHE department, PWD, Police and Armed Forces, Fire & Emergency Service, Food & Civil Supply Department, Shillong Municipal Board, Telecom, Telegraph & IT Services, Banks and ATMs are exempted.
All essential government offices will function with a capacity of 50 per cent whereas all non-essential offices will be closed till March 31.
According to the chief secretary, as the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897 has been invoked in the state, it has been made mandatory for all travellers who have travel history of coming from COVID-19 affected countries and states to register and notify their travel history to the government.
Night curfew in EJH
The District Magistrate, East Jaintia Hills, has promulgated Section 144 CrPC and imposed night curfew in the district from 7 pm till 7 am until further orders.
Vehicles will not be allowed to enter the district from Assam through Malidor.
Entry for local residents
He added that the entry into the state for local residents and supply of essential commodities will be allowed only from the nine locations of Ratacherra, Saitsama and Umrangso, Byrnihat, Dainadubi and Bajengdoba, Phulbari and Tikrikilla and Garodoba.
Informing that entry of people from Dawki, West Jaintia Hills and Dalu, West Garo Hills besides the entry of tourists into the state has also been stopped, the chief secretary added that all people entering into Meghalaya are required to mandatorily register on the COVID-19 monitoring system (meghalayaonline.gov.in/covid), in addition to undergoing health screening.
It was also informed that proof of registration, either a system generated acknowledgement should be checked at all entry points and in case of any technical challenges, registration can also be done on paper at the point of entry.
650 register
He also said around 650 people have already registered on the portal in the last two days and another 382 people have also registered on the health department’s 108 helpline.
“We have now put in place a system for automatic calling of all these registered people over the next 14 days. Any person reporting any of the coronavirus related symptoms will be personally followed up by the respective district surveillance teams,” he said.
Thermal scanners have also been placed in many locations (three at Byrnihat and one each at Ratacherra, Dawki, Dalu, Dainadubi and Bajengdoba).
The private hospitals in the state have been roped in for setting up of dedicated isolation rooms for suspected COVID-19 patients and these hospitals have also been requested to come up with proposals to set up testing facility as the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has issued guidelines allowing private hospitals to set up testing facilities.
All deputy commissioners have been asked to constitute Citizen Support Committees for enforcing social distancing in general and home quarantine for those who have recent travel history.