After Centre's Unlock-4 guidelines, Haryana revokes order on two-day weekly shutdown of markets

After the Centre's Unlock 4 guidelines , the Haryana government on Sunday withdrew its order to keep markets in urban areas closed on Monday and Tuesday. Issuing the Unlock 4 guidelines on Saturday, the  Union Home Ministry had said that state governments shall not impose any local lockdown outside containment zones without prior consultation with the Central government. In a tweet, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said, “Under Unlock 4, the Central government has said that state governments shall not impose any local lockdown (outside containment zones), so the Haryana government has withdrawn the order issued on 28 August to keep the markets closed on Monday and Tuesday. Therefore, there will be no lockdown now”.

केंद्र सरकार ने अनलॉक 4 में प्रदेश सरकारों को लॉक डाउन करने का अधिकार नही दिया है इसलिए हरियाणा सरकार का दिनांक 28 अगस्त का सोमवार और मंगलवार को बाज़ार बंद रखने का आदेश वापिस ले लिया है । इसलिए अब कोई लॉक डाउन नही होगा ।

— Anil Vij Minister Haryana, India (@anilvijminister) August 30, 2020

Sporadic and weekend lockdowns have been implemented by various state governments across the country. Earlier on 28 August, to contain the spread of COVID-19, the Haryana government had ordered that malls and shops in marketplaces of urban areas will remain closed on Mondays and Tuesdays instead of weekends as instructed earlier. This order, however, was not for shops dealing with essential goods and services. The revised instructions on 28 August had come a week after the government had ordered offices and shops to remain closed on weekends throughout the state. Earlier, on 21 August, the state government had said all offices and shops, except those dealing with essential services, will remain closed on weekends. As of Sunday evening, Haryana has 63,282 COVID-19 cases and 682 fatalities. Meanwhile, the state government issued orders to implement the guidelines of Unlock-4. These orders will remain in force till 30 September, a state government statement said. As per the guidelines, all activities will be permitted outside the containment zones, except the schools, colleges, educational and coaching institutions will continue to remain closed for students and regular class activity up to 30 September, it said. However, online/distance learning shall continue to be permitted and shall be encouraged. The statement also said that students of classes 9 to 12 may be permitted to visit the schools, in areas outside the containment zones only, on voluntary basis, for taking guidance from their teachers. “This will be subject to consent of their parents/guardians and will be permitted with effect from 21 September, for which SOP will be issued by the Centre,” it said. Skill or entrepreneurship training will be permitted in the National Skill Training Institutes, Industrial Training Institutes (ITIS), short term training centres registered with National Skill Development Corporation or State Skill Development Missions or other ministries of Government of India or state government, the statement said. These will be permitted with effect from 21 September, for which, SOP will be issued by the Centre. Social, academics, sports, entertainment, cultural, religious functions and other congregations with a ceiling of 100 persons will be permitted with effect from 21 September, with mandatory wearing of face masks, social distancing, provision for thermal scanning and hand wash or sanitiser. However, marriage-related gatherings with number of guests not exceeding 50 and funeral/last rites related gatherings with number of persons not exceeding 20 will continue to be allowed up to 20 September, after which the ceiling of 100 persons will apply. Cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres and similar places will remain closed. However, open air theatres will be permitted to open with effect from 21 September, the statement said. Lockdown shall remain in force in the containment zones till 30 September. Strict containment measures will be enforced in these containment zones and only essential activities will be allowed. Persons above 65 years of age, persons with co-morbidities, pregnant women, and children below the age of 10 years are advised to stay at home, except for essential and health purposes, it added.