MHA amends lockdown guidelines once again; fishing industry and its workers can function

Ministry of Home Affairs on Friday issued fifth Addendum to nationwide lockdown guidelines whereby fishing industry shall continue to be operational. This implies that feeding and maintenance, harvesting, packaging, cold chain, sale, and marketing of fish shall be permitted during lockdown. Moreover, movement of fish and fish products, fish seeds and workers for all aforesaid activities has been given green signal by MHA. At same time, it has been stressed that social distancing and proper hygiene activities must be followed. district authorities have been directed to ensure strict enforcement in this regard. 

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MHA issues lockdown guidelines

On March 24,  MHA issued an order detailing guidelines for nationwide lockdown. As per order, it was declared that all offices of government barring for those providing essential services would remain shut. While all commercial establishments and private organizations were instructed to remain shut, certain exemptions such as hospitals, print and electronic media, shops selling essential items, e-delivery of food, medical equipment, banks, petrol pumps, etc. were specified. 

Read: COVID-19: MHA Releases New Lockdown Guidelines; Farming & Related Activities To Operate

A day later, MHA issued an Addendum specifying more categories of essential services exempted during period of 21-day lockdown. This includes IT vendor for banking operations, coal and mineral production, manufacturing units of packaging material for food items, medical devices, inter-state movement of goods for imports and exports and cross land border movement of essential items such as LPG, medical supplies and food products. This was followed by farming and its related activities being designated as essential goods and services on March 27 via ar Addendum to guidelines. 

Centre issued a third Addendum on April 2 releasing a Standard Operating Procedure for movement of stranded foreign nationals and release of quarantined persons who test negative for COVID-19. On April 3, fourth Addendum furr extended list of exemptions. On this occasion, shops of agricultural machinery, its spare parts, and repairs along with tea plantations with a maximum strength of 50% were granted permission to operate.

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