The National Disaster Management Authority on Sunday issued a letter to Union Home Secretary Ajoy Bhalla, directing all ministeries/departments of the government of India and state governments/authorities to extend the lockdown measures up to May 31, 2020. This order was issued under NDMA's exercise of the powers vested to it under Section 6 (2) (i) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
In addition, NDMA has also asked the National Executive Council (NEC) to issue "modifications in the guidelines as necessary, keeping in view the need to open up economic activities while containing the spread of COVID 19."
According to the MHA's order number 40-3/2020-DM-I(A), all orders issued by NEC under Section 10(2)(I) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, shall cease to have effect from May 18, 2020. Here are the MHA's guidelines for Lockdown 4.0.
List of activities that will remain prohibited throughout the lockdown:
* All domestic and international air travel of passengers, except for domestic medical services, domestic air ambulance and for security purposes or purposes as permitted by MHA.
* Metro rail services
* Schools, colleges, educational/training/coaching institutions etc will remain closed. Online/distance learning shall continue to be permitted and shall be encouraged.
* Hotels, restaurants and other hospitality services, except those meant for housing health/police/ government officials/healthcare workers/stranded persons including tourists and for quarantine facilities and running of canteens at bus depots, railway stations and airports. Restaurants shall be permitted to operate kitchens for home delivery of food items.
* All cinema halls, shopping malls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theaters, bars and auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places. Sports complexes and stadium will be permitted to open; however, spectators will not be allowed.
* All social/political/sports/entertainment/academic/cultural/religious functions/other gatherings and large congregations.
*All religious places/places of worship shall be closed for public. The religious congregation are strictly prohibited.
List of activities permitted with restrictions, except in containment zones:
* Inter-state movement of passenger vehicles and buses, with mutual consent of the state(s)/UT(s) involved.
* Intra-state movement of passenger vehicles and buses, as decided by the states and UTs.
* Standard operating procedures for movement of persons, as mentioned in Annexure 1, shall continue to operate.
Containment, Buffer, Red, Green and Orange zones:
* The delineation of Red, Green and Orange zones will be decided by the respective state and UT governments, after taking into consideration the parameters shared by the Health Ministry.
* Within the red and orange zones, containment zones and buffer zones will be demarcated by the district authorities after taking into consideration the guidelines of the Health Ministry.
* In the containment zones, only essential activities shall be allowed. there shall be strict perimeter control to ensure that there is no movement of people in or out of these zones, except for medical emergencies and for maintaining supply of essential goods and services. guidelines of the health ministry shall be taken into consideration for the above purpose.
* In the containment zones, there shall be intensive contact tracing, house-to-house surveillance, and other clinical interventions, as required.