SHILLONG, June 27: Shops and shopping malls/complexes at Khyndai Lad and other areas falling under Sadar Police Station (or Zone-III), dealing in both essential and non-essential items, will open in a regulated manner from June 28 till July 3 between 9 am and 3 pm, East Khasi Hills District Magistrate said in an order.
For shopping malls and complexes “having less than 20 numbers of shops”, the order said that shops marked with “A” and “C” will open on Monday and Thursday, “B” and “E” on Tuesday and Friday, and “D” and “F” on Wednesday and Saturday.
“For shopping malls and complexes having more than 20 number of shops, they will open at 30 % strength but a detailed plan of regulation is to be prepared by the Mall/ Market Committee/ Association concerned and submitted along with vaccination status of shopkeepers and staff, inspected by the Incident Commander/ Magistrate and approved by this office prior to opening,” the district magistrate said in the order.
The district magistrate also specified that standalone shops falling under Zone-III marked with “A” and “C” will open on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while and the shops “B” and “D” will open on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Hawkers and vendors, however, will be regulated and permitted to sit only in spaces earmarked by the Incident Commander of Zone-III and as per arrangement and regulation made. According to the order, the hawkers and vendors are also required to clearly indicate their vaccination status.
“The Incident Commander of Zone-III in consultation with the respective headmen/CCMTs will regulate and ensure due compliance to protocols by all. All shops will place a prominent sign/poster indicating vaccination status of the shopkeepers and staff at the shop premises,” the order stated.
In a separate order, the district magistrate said that “identified shops dealing in essential commodities as notified by the Incident Commanders in Shillong Urban Agglomeration” falling under Zone – I (Laitumkhrah PS Areas) and Zone – II (Laban PS Areas) will open on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday between 9 am and 3 p, while Zone – V (Rynjah PS Areas and Mawpat Block) and Zone – VI (Madanrting PS Areas) will open on Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 9 am and 4 pm, and Zone – III (Pasteur Beat House Areas), Zone – IV (Lumdiengjri PS Areas), Zone – VII (Mawlai PS Areas and Mawlai Block) and Mylliem C&RD Block will open on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 9 am to 4 pm.
“Non-essential shops may be permitted to open, each up to thrice a week only, on days to be decided and as per regulation of the Incident Commander concerned in consultation with the CCMTs,” the order stated.
Containment measures
The District Magistrate of Ri Bhoi, in an order, has extended the promulgation of strict containment measures in the entire district from till further orders, while night curfew will also remain in effect daily between 7 pm and 5 am.
The order stated that the decision was taken in view of the high positivity rate in the district and as there is a significant spread of COVID-19 in rural areas of the district.
On the other hand, following detection of positive cases, the District Magistrate has declared the houses of Gudus Ali, Sultana Laskar, Shiviji Paswan, Aisa Khatun and M Marngar of Umlyngkdait village in Ri Bhoi as micro containment zones till July 5. Moreover, Nongsder Block-I village has been declared as containment zone up to 6 am of June 30, whereas Patharkhmah village has also been contained till 12 pm of July 6 to enable the medical team to conduct the contact tracing exercise.
