Unlock 4: No lockdown outside containment zones; schools, colleges closed till 30 Sept

August 29: From September 1, the fourth phase of unlocking will begin across the country with more relaxations on cards. The Ministry of Home Affairs on 29 August announced the fresh guidelines for Unlock 4 plan. Under the guidelines, lockdown will be extended in the country till 30 September. However, the lockdown will only be applicable in the containment zones. Lockdowns can’t be imposed outside containment zones.

Schools, colleges, educational, coaching institutions will remain closed. This phase, called “Unlock 4”, will be in effect till September 30. States and UTs may permit 50% of teaching staff to come to schools for online teaching from Sept 21. Students of classes 9 to 12 may be permitted to visit their schools, in areas outside the Containment Zones only, on voluntary basis, for taking guidance from their teachers. This will be subject to written consent of their parents/ guardians and will be permitted with effect from 21st September 2020 for which, SOP will be issued by MoHFW.

Further, higher education institutions only for research scholars (Ph.D.) and post-graduate students of technical and professional programmes requiring laboratory/ experimental works will be allowed in the new guidelines. “These will be permitted by the Department of Higher Education (ME) in consultation with MHA, based on the assessment of the situation, and keeping in view incidence of COVID-19 in the States/ UTs,” MHA said in a statement.

Social/ academic/ sports/ entertainment/ cultural/ religious/ political functions and other congregations with a ceiling of 100 persons, will be permitted with effect from 21st September 2020, with mandatory wearing of face masks, social distancing, provision for thermal scanning and hand wash or sanitizer. 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 upto 20th September 2020, 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 2020.

There shall be no restriction on inter-State and intra-State movement of persons and goods including those for cross land-border trade under Treaties with neighbouring countries. No separate permission/ approval/ e-permit will be required for such movements. Movement of persons with SOPs Movement by passenger trains; domestic passenger air travel; movement of persons on Vande Bharat and Air Transport Bubble flights; and sign-on and sign-off of Indian seafarers will continue to be regulated as per SOPs issued.

Protection of vulnerable persons 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 was further stated that lockdown in containment zones will remain imposed till 30 September, 2020. These virus containment zones need to be carefully demarcated by the state governments or UTs. local governments shall not impose any local lockdown (State/ District/ sub-division/City/ village level), outside the containment zones, without prior consultation with the Central Government.

The guidelines further stated that State/ UT Governments shall not dilute these guidelines issued under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, in any manner. For the enforcement of social distancing, State/ UT Governments may, as far as possible, use the provisions of Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) of 1973.

All the District Magistrates shall strictly enforce the above measures. Penal provisions Any person violating these measures will be liable to be proceeded against as per the provisions of Section 51 to 60 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, besides legal action under Section188 of the IPC, and other legal provisions as applicable.