SOP: Total containment in 7 districts for a week; earlier restrictions retained in Cachar & Kxj

July 6: Announcing the new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for containment of Covid-19, Health Minister Keshab Mahanta while addressing the media on Tuesday stated that the districts in Assam have been divided into three categories based on the number of Covid-19 cases.

In the first category, total containment has been declared in 7 districts of Assam for one week. These 7 districts are: Goalpara, Sonitpur, Golaghat, Jorhat, Biswanath, Morigaon and North Lakhimpur. Only grocery shops will be kept open open in these districts.

In the second category, there are 16 districts of Assam, where shops, business establishments and offices shall remain open till 1 PM and Covid curfew will be imposed from 2 PM till 5 AM. These 16 districts are: Cachar. Karimganj, Kokhrajhar, Barpeta, Nalbari, Baksa, Bajali, Kamrup Rural, Darrang, Nagaon, Hojai, Tinsukia, Dhemaji, Karbi Anglong, Sivasagar and Dibrugarh. Minister Keshab Mahanta further stated that strict vigilance by the health authorities will be kept on Sivasagar and Dibrugarh as these two districts were projecting an upward tendency of Covid cases.

In the third category, there are 11 districts, where shops, business establishments and offices shall remain open till 4 PM and Covid curfew will be imposed from 5 PM till 5 AM. These 11 districts are Dhubri, Kamrup Metro, South Salmara, Majuli, Bongaigaon, Chirang, Udalguri, West Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao, Charaideo and Hailakandi.

Further, inter-district travel will continue to be banned. Educational institutions in all districts of Assam will also continue to remain closed. Marriages shall be solemnised in the presence of only 10 persons. These restrictions will remain in place with effect from 5 AM of 7 July, 2021 until further orders.

A. Containment Zones:

In case the test positivity of COVID-19 in any area reaches more than 10 cases in the last seven days, the jurisdictional District Magistrate will notify such areas as total containment zones in consultation with MD. NHM and ensure necessary containment measures for COVID-19.

However. in such zones, emergency services will continue round the clock and essential services including shops dealing with groceries. fruits and vegetables dairy and milk booths. animal fodder, etc will remain open upto 5 PM.

Delivery of all essential goods including food, pharmaceuticals. medical equipments through e-commerce in such areas will continue round the clock.

B. Restrictions Imposed: 

C. Other restrictions and relaxations:

1 All Government servants (including contractual and fixed pay) who have taken atleast one dose of COVID-19 vaccine shall attend office except in total containment areas. Private sector entities may take their own decision about attendance of their employees on this account

2 Employees who have not taken vaccine will have to attend office as and when their services are required by respective authorities.

3 Employees engaged in emergency / essential services shall attend their duty without any restrictions at any place

4 The organizations (Government / Private) rendering Essential/Emergency Services. Law Enforcement Services and Election work will continue working without any restrictions in all districts.

5. Pregnant women employees and women with children of 5 years or below working under any Government / PSU / Financial Institutions / Private Organizations irrespective of their grade shall be eligible to work from home

6. Persons with disabilities (PwDs) working in any Government/PSU/ Financial Institutions/Private organizations shall be exempted from attending duties in consonance with the 0 M No 11013/9/2014/Estt.(A.III) dated 1st April, 2020 issued by DoPT. Got. However. they may be encouraged to work from home.

D. Public Transport (Government and Private):

1 There will be a total ban on movement of all public and private transport in the total containment districts. However. movement of goods shall continue.

2 In other districts:

• All Public transport authorities shall enforce COVID-19 appropriate behavior and seating inside the vehicles. carriers, containers etc
• Auto Rickshaws, cycle rickshaws and taxis shall operate with one driver and two passengers maintaining social distancing.
• Pillion riding will be totally prohibited in two wheelers. except with women and children.
• Intra-district transport with 50% seating capacity with observance of COVID appropriate behaviour may be allowed.
• All inter-district passenger transport services and movement of people to and from other districts shall remain suspended.
• Wearing of face mask is mandatory even for a single person driving a vehicle. In case of persons travelling in any private car, up to 100 % of its seating capacity, wearing of face mask is mandatory for all the persons.

E. Educational Institutions (Government and Private):

1 All Educational Institutions including Schools/Colleges/Universities shall continue to provide quality virtual options No physical classes are allowed
2. Teachers / Faculty members need not attend their respective institution but if District Administration engages in COVID 19 / flood relief related emergency duties, they will have to attend assigned duties.

G. Miscellaneous:

1 Wearing of face mask is compulsory in all public places.

2. Shop owners shall ensure minimum six feet distance among customers and shall not allow more than 5 persons inside the shop. In addition, shop owners should compulsorily keep sanitizers and hand wash in their shops.

3. Shopkeepers and customers shall have to wear masks. hand gloves and maintain social distancing. Responsibility of maintenance of social distancing will be on the shop owner and failure to do so will be viewed very seriously and may entail summary closure of defaulting shops.

4. Industrial units and Tea gardens may function subject to observance of COVID appropriate behaviour. Head of the unit/tea garden shall be responsible for ensuring social distancing, mask wearing by workers and staff, sanitization of industrial premises, thermal scanning etc.

5. Operation of physical activities of Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC) including e-auction are allowed with 20% of the total work force till 3 PM including tea tasting, sampling. brokering. Warehousing is fully exempted.

Other restrictions including odd- even formula for plying of vehicles, declaration of containment zones etc. as notified for urban and peripheral areas, restriction on inter district movement and exemptions via clarifications shall continue to remain in force except those specifically modified by this order.