Assam Government has, on 12th May, issued a new SOP to stop the spread of COVID-19. Chief Secretary of Assam Jishnu Barua, DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta and Principal Secretary for Health, Assam addressed a Press Conference regarding the same.
The new guidelines will be applicable in the urban and semi-urban areas, and areas within 5 kms from the periphery of Municipal Corporations/Municipal Boards/Revenue Towns. The order will come to effect from 5 am of 13th May and will continue until further orders.
Below are the details of the order-
- All shops and commercial establishments shall shut down at 1 pm on all days.
- Weekly haats / bazaars shall not be allowed for 15 days.
- All Educational Institutions including Schools/Colleges/Universities must provide quality virtual options. No physical classes shall be allowed for 15 days.
- All offices, both Government and Nov-Government, shall shut down for 15 days.
- Government / semi government officers in the rank of Deputy Secretary and above and senior executives in Non-Government sector along with their key support staff will be allowed to attend office upto 1 PM only for emergency and essential works.
However, points 4 and 5 above will not be applicable for organizations rendering Essential/Emergency Services. Law Enforcement Services and Election work. - In case the test positivity of COVID-19 in any area reaches 5 percent or more in the last one week, District Magistrate will notify such areas as containment zone and ensure necessary containment measures for COVID-19.
- Marriages and religious functions will be only private affairs and will be allowed with presence of maximum of 10 persons. No reception parties will be allowed post or pre-marriage.
- Funeral / last rites related gatherings shall not have more than 10 persons.
- All religious places shall remain closed for 15 days. However, the religious head of a religious place or his representative may perform minimal religious rituals/ prayers during this period of closure.
- All public transport will be allowed to operate only up to 30% of seating capacity.
- Auto Rickshaws, cycle rickshaws and taxis shall operate with one driver and two passengers.
- Pillion riding will be totally prohibited in two wheelers, except with women and children.
- All vehicles other than government vehicles will be allowed to ply in accordance with an odd- even formula to be decided by the jurisdictional District Disaster Management Authority between 5 am to 2 pm.
- There shall be total ban on movement of individuals from 2 pm to 5 am daily except for exemptions specified in Order No ASDMA.28/2021/63 dated May, 2021.
- In respect of areas not covered by this order, the regulations given vide order No. ASDMA.28/2021/63 dated 4th May, 2021 shall remain in force.
Speaking in the press conference, Director General of Police, Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta said that strict action will be taken against violators. “Containment zones are zero tolerance zones. We have been getting reports of violators. From now strict action will be taken against them.”
“We have ordered the police personnel to be strict but act humanely on case to case basis. But no unnecessary violation of protocols will be entertained,” he added.
Jishnu Barua, Chief Secretary to GoA informed that even post offices will have to close down at 1 pm. However, banks can continue with their essential work internally, although transactions for customers have to be closed down by 1 pm.
