GUWAHATI, May 4 : The Assam government on Tuesday reviewed the overall COVID situation in the state and issued revised and consolidated directives to contain the pandemic, preponing night curfew by two hours and closure of shops and commercial establishments by four hours.
From Wednesday, night curfew be clamped from 6pm (instead of the earlier timing of 8pm) to 5am, while all shops and commercial establishments will have to down their shutters at 2pm (instead of the earlier timing of 6pm).
“Total restrictions on movement of persons at public places shall be imposed from 6pm to 5am on all days except for persons engaged in essential and emergency services. District magistrates and commissioner of police, Guwahati will issue orders under Cr. PC (Section 144) to the same effect,” the revised order (issued in supersession of earlier orders on April 30, 2021) stated.
“Restaurants, dhabas and other eateries can entertain dine-in guests only up to 2pm. Takeaway, including home delivery of food, is allowed till 6pm after which only home delivery of food will be allowed,” the order said.
Restaurants operating within a hotel or resort can allow outside guests up to 2pm only. However, in-house guests of the hotel/resort may be allowed to dine-in up to the usual time of operation.
“All offices, private and government, shall shut down at 2pm on all days. This will not be applicable for organisations rendering essential and emergency services, law enforcing services and election work,” it stated.
The order stated that no meeting/gathering at any open or closed spaces shall be allowed.
“For marriages, only the religious part will be allowed with a presence of maximum of 20 persons. No reception parties will be allowed before or after the marriage,” the order stated.
At all religious places, congregations of not more than five persons shall be allowed at any time.
Delivery of essential goods through e-commerce may continue with observance of COVID appropriate behaviour. Cold storages and warehouses may continue after 2pm.
“However, sale counters, showrooms, etc. attached to these warehouses or cold storages shall not operate after 2pm,” the order stated.
The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) issued the directives subsequently upon review of the overall COVID-19 situation in the state by the State Level Empowered Committee chaired by the chief secretary.
The order will come into force from 5am of May 5, 2021 and will remain in force until further orders.
“Further, the district magistrates will declare an area or a city or district or well defined parts thereof as containment zones if the test positivity of COVID-19 in such areas reaches 10 percent or more in the last one week or bed occupancy either oxygen supported or ICU beds crosses 60 percent,” it stated.