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

The Ministry of Home Affairs on Friday issued the fifth Addendum to the nationwide lockdown guidelines whereby the 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 the lockdown. Moreover, the movement of fish and fish products, fish seeds and workers for all the aforesaid activities has been given the green signal by the MHA. At the same time, it has been stressed that social distancing and proper hygiene activities must be followed. The district authorities have been directed to ensure strict enforcement in this regard. 

Read: MHA Issues SOP On Transit Arrangements Of Foreigners And Release Of Quarantined People

MHA issues lockdown guidelines

On March 24, the MHA issued an order detailing guidelines for the nationwide lockdown. As per the order, it was declared that all offices of the 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, the MHA issued an Addendum specifying more categories of essential services exempted during the period of the 21-day lockdown. This includes the IT vendor for banking operations, coal and mineral production, manufacturing units of packaging material for food items, medical devices, the 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 another Addendum to the guidelines. 

The Centre issued a third Addendum on April 2 releasing a Standard Operating Procedure for the movement of stranded foreign nationals and the release of quarantined persons who test negative for COVID-19. On April 3, the fourth Addendum further extended the 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.

Read: PM Modi Urges Spiritual Leaders To Mobilise People Of All Faiths To Fight COVID-19

Read: Doctors Write To MHA, Request Attacks Against Them To Be Listed As 'non-bailable Offence'