Jharkhand extends lockdown till 16 June, but eases curbs: What's allowed and what's not

Due to a surge in coronavirus cases, the Jharkhand government on Wednesday extended the COVID-19-induced lockdown restrictions in the state till 16 June, but allowed all shops in all districts except East Singhbhum to remain open from 6 am to 4 pm.

In East Singhbhum, which has been reporting the highest number of daily cases in the state, all shops except for clothes, shoes and cosmetic will be allowed to open during that time.

The decision on extending the lockdown was taken after a meeting which was chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren. The ongoing lockdown was set to end on 10 June.

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“The Health Safety Week now stands extended till 16 June. Some relaxations have been given, including the opening of shops in 23 districts from 6 am to 4 pm,” an official said.

This is the fifth time when the state government has extended the lockdown after it was first imposed on 22 April for a week. As per the last order, wearing a mask and maintaining social distance in a public place is mandatory. In case of violation of the order, action will be taken by registering an FIR under the relevant section of the Disaster Management Act, the order said.

What’s allowed during Jharkhand lockdown

The opening time of shops has been extended by two hours in all districts, except East Singhbhum district. Now, shops will be allowed to open between 6 am till 4 pm in the 23 districts. As for East Singhbhum, all shops except for clothes, shoes and cosmetics will be allowed to remain open between 6 am to 4 pm.

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All government and private offices will be able to open with one-third of human resources till 4 pm. The state secretariat will function with 33 percent of staff strength till 2 pm

Healthcare-related establishments will remain open throughout the week.

Home delivery of food from restaurants as well as take-away allowed.

What’s not allowed

There will be a ‘complete lockdown’ from Saturday, 12 June (5 pm) till Monday, 14 June (6 am). Shops selling vegetable, fruits and grocery items will remain closed from 4 pm on Saturday to 6 am on Monday.

Shopping malls, cinema halls, clubs, bars, banquet halls, multiplexes, departmental stores will remain closed. 7. Stadiums, gymnasiums, swimming pools and the park will be closed

All educational institutions will remain closed. All state-run examinations will also be postponed.

Aanganwadi centres will also remain shut, but food items will be provided to the beneficiaries at home.

A gathering of more than 5 people at one place has been prohibited. A maximum number of 11 persons can attend a marriage while a maximum of 20 persons will be allowed at a funeral. There is also a ban on fairs and exhibitions.

Religious places will remain closed for devotees, and the prohibition on processions will continue.

Bus transport will continue to be banned. E-pass will be required to go from one district to another district by private vehicles, to come to Jharkhand from other states or to go from Jharkhand to another state. Home quarantine will be mandatory as well.

As per a recent health bulletin, Jharkhand reported 603 new coronavirus cases and 13 more deaths on 9 June. The state currently has 5,099 active cases. So far, Jharkhand has recorded 5,073 deaths and 3,42,179 cases. Meanwhile, the state capital Ranchi and East Singhbhum, which have been witnessing high casualties, recorded five deaths each.

Looking into the highest number of cases, around 348 new cases were reported from East Singhbhum, followed by 30 from Dhanbad and 29 from Ranchi. Among the deaths and infections in the state, nearly 3,32,007 patients have recovered, including 803 during the last 24 hours.