NEW DELHI, May 17: The ongoing countrywide lockdown has been extended till 31 May, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) announced on Sunday.
In an order, the NDMA said lockdown measures need to be implemented for a further period of 14 days in the country to contain the spread of Covid-19.
The death toll due to Covid-19 rose to 2,872 and the number of total positive cases climbed to 90,927 Sunday morning, according to the union health ministry.
“The NDMA, in exercise of powers under Section 6 (2) (i) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, hereby directs the ministries and departments of the Government of India, state governments and state authorities to continue the lockdown measures up to 31 May,” NDMA Member Secretary GVV Sarma said.
“The authority further directs the national executive committee, headed by the union home secretary, 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,” the order said.
The lockdown was first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 24 March for 21 days with effect from 25 March. It was then extended till 3 May and again till 17 May.
Prohibition on all public gatherings, closure of schools, malls and restaurants, and suspension of flight and metro services will remain in force till 31 May.
The Union home ministry issued a nine-page guideline listing the dos and don’ts during the lockdown 4.0 that has been clamped in the country to cut the chain of the coronavirus infection.
It said all domestic, international air travel of passengers, except domestic air ambulance, will remain prohibited.
Metro rail services, schools, colleges will remain closed till May end, the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said.
Hotels, restaurants, cinema halls, malls, swimming pools, gyms will also remain shut even as all social, political, religious functions, and places of worship will be closed till 31 May, it said.
The MHA said inter-state movement of passenger vehicles, buses will be allowed with mutual consent of states involved during the Covid-19 lockdown 4.0.
States and union territories have been given the powers for delineation of red, green and orange zones as per Covid-19 situation, the MHA said.
All shops, except those in containment zones and malls, will be allowed to open from Monday with staggered timings during lockdown 4.0, it said.
The death toll due to Covid-19 rose to 2,872 and the number of total positive cases climbed to 90,927 Sunday morning, according to the Union health ministry. (PTI)
