Inter-dist travel will not be allowed
Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, Apr 13: The state cabinet on Monday decided to extend the Covid-19 lockdown till 30 April. The first phase of lockdown is scheduled to end on 14 April.
Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar informed on Monday evening that the decision was made following general consensus among the state’s political parties, community-based organizations (CBO), the chamber of commerce & industries, and other stakeholders, and the video conference convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The permissible activities given by the ministry of home affairs under the Disaster Management Act during the first phase of lockdown will be continued,” the CS said.
He also clarified that inter-district travel will not be allowed.
“All the government offices at the district level will start operating from 15 April with 50 percent of multitasking staffs like peons, chowkidars, etc, in order to avoid crowding in the offices. The remaining 50 percent will rest for a week, after which they will work for a week while the first batch rests, and so on, on a rotational basis. The same principle will be applied in the capital complex also,” Kumar said.
He said only essential departments such as agriculture and horticulture, besides tea gardens and MGNREGA-related works will be allowed to operate, in compliance with the protocols laid down by the health department.
“No new workers or migrant workers from outside the state will be allowed to work,” he said, adding that the workers will have to observe all safety measures and strictly comply with physical distancing norms, cleanliness, personal hygiene and wearing facemasks.
On industries, the CS said work will resume on a “case to case basis, as decided by the industries department in consultation with the respective deputy commissioners, with compliance of social distancing and personal hygiene policies.”
Similar work principles and regulations will be applied to construction sites also, he said.
In the matter of transportation, the chief secretary informed that private vehicles will not be allowed to ply till 30 April.
“Only fixed-scheduled state transport buses will be used for intra-district movement while ensuring the social distancing norms. Wearing masks and use of hand sanitizer are mandatory in public transport,” he said.
Kumar said the police have made elaborate arrangements with gaon burahs, CBOs and “voluntary village force” to check unauthorized movement of people across the Arunachal-Assam boundaries at 28 police check posts.
The CS advised the students and other people of the state who are stranded outside the state “not to return to Arunachal but remain where they are, as travelling at this juncture would put them at risk.”
Educational institutions, hotels, malls, gyms and bars will remain closed, and no public function and social gathering will be allowed till the lockdown is in force. Interstate movement, train services, and issuing of inner line permits and protected area permits will remain suspended, he informed.
The CS further informed that 20,000 PPE are available in the state and 3000 more are expected to arrive shortly.
Stating that the government is trying to improve the health facilities, Kumar said, “Today we are operationalizing the ICU along with ventilator at the Pasighat general hospital. We are also in the process to setting up small ICUs, along with ventilators, in Pasighat, Tezu, Aalo, Tawang, Ziro and Khonsa.”
The CS asserted that the state has enough ration supply with 22 metric tons currently available. He also gave assurance that LPG cylinders would be delivered at the people’s doorsteps.
