TURA/KHLIEHRIAT: The district administrations of East Jaintia Hills and North Garo Hills have issued protocols for shopkeepers during operation of activities as well as directives for plying of public and private transport across respective districts.
However, in North Garo Hills, the district administration has extended the timing for opening of grocery and other permitted shops including wine stores from 8 am to 4 pm on all days except Sunday.
Protocols
All shops, in both the districts, have to ensure that customers as well as the shopkeepers maintain at least two-metre distance from each other, use masks, arrange hand sanitiser or hand wash in front of shops, restrict entry of not more than five persons inside shops at one time, frequently sanitise entire shop, especially points that come into contact with people like door knobs and handles.
The protocol also makes it mandatory for shops to ensure that customers first use hand sanitisers before handling items that need to be checked.
For instance, in the case of optical stores, frames that have been tried on by customers need to be disinfected before they are placed back.
Weddings
The District Magistrate of East Jaintia Hills, in an order, said that the number of participants in a wedding should not exceed 50 including all of the hosts.
The wedding venues should preferably be spacious and handing over of physical gifts can be avoided, the order stated. All the guests should download and use Aarogya Setu app during and after the event, it added.
Transport
Further, the East Jaintia Hills District Magistrate said that total capacity of passengers in a bus is 50 per cent, SUVs including Sumo and Maxi cab can carry four persons excluding driver and light motor vehicle (LMV) can carry two persons excluding driver.
However, auto rickshaws can carry only single passenger excluding driver, while two-wheelers can carry a pillion rider — restricted only to a female or child below 12 years.
Meanwhile, inter-district movement of both private and public vehicles to the extent of 50 per cent has also been allowed on odd/even basis with immediate effect in North Garo Hills.
Odd and even number vehicles will take turns and ply on alternate days beginning with odd on Monday till Saturday except Sunday, when both odd and even (private vehicles only) have been allowed to ply.