Nagaland Govt issues revised lockdown guidelines
Our Correspondent
Kohima | May 4
With the extension of lockdown, the Government of Nagaland today issued a new set of lockdown guidelines incorporating points which are relevant to the state, for immediate implementation throughout the state for a period of two weeks.
As per the consolidated revised guidelines issued by the office of the Chief Secretary, Nagaland which falls under the ‘Green Zone’ criteria laid down by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
The Chief Secretary Temjen Toy who also addressed a press conference here today said that separate guidelines will be issued in respect of people from Nagaland returning to the state from other states or abroad.
Borders to remain sealed
As a matter of abundant caution, the State Government has said that sealing of the international border with Myanmar and all inter-state borders will continue in toto.
Authorities in the 14 border Administrative sub-divisions and its subordinate administrative circles have been notified that only movement of goods vehicles entering or transiting through the state shall be allowed after proper medical screening at designated entry and exit points. The exception will however not be applicable to Bhandari Sub-Division.
The designated points of entry and exit points identified are: Naginimora and Tizit in Mon district; Tsutapela and Watiyongpang in Mokokchung; Dilai Gate and New Field Gate in Dimapur; and Khuzama Gate in Kohima. All other roads will remain closed.
Works on to bring stranded citizens
Toy said that even though Nagaland is in the Green Zone there is still danger of getting the virus through people coming in from outside the state. He said that a lot of calls have been coming from our own people who have been stranded in different parts of the country.
Stating that the government does not want to take hasty decision and ends up with more complications, the Chief Secretary said the team is still at work and they are in touch with the different states, various organizations, railways, airlines on how best to bring the stranded people of the state back home.
Inter-district movement
The Chief Secretary said that there will be no quarantining of persons entering a district or town or village from anywhere within Nagaland. However, it said that separate guidelines will be issued for this.
He told the press conference that yesterday the state government had video conference with DCs and SPs of all the districts during which it was conveyed that there were issues of some villages/areas not allowing own people to come in.
Stating that there is no basis to refuse their entry, Toy said the government would take whatever appropriate action is necessary.
The Chief Secretary meanwhile said the government has also allowed running of taxis (local) and rickshaws with the condition that they carry not more than two and one passengers respectively and observe other safety porotocal. He however said that this relaxation will not be applicable to 14 border administrative sub-divisions (See What’s closed) Movement of passenger buses like city buses will continue to be prohibited.
Offices and educational institutions
All Schools and educational institutions including home tutorials and vocational institutions will continue to remain closed till further orders.
According to the new guidelines, the Civil Secretariat and Directorates in Kohima and Dimapur will function with attendance of officers of Deputy Secretary/ Director and above. For government offices in the districts, attendance of the Head of Office and immediate junior will be mandatory.
For other categories of officers and staff, a roster system will be followed where 50% of staff attends office every alternate week and those not attending office on a particular day will have to be available on telephone and electronic means of communication at all times.
Enforcement of lockdown measures
All the Deputy Commissioners have been directed to enforce the guidelines along with the National Directives for COVID-19 management as specified by the MoHFW by deploying Executive Magistrates as Incident Commanders in the respective local jurisdictions, as per previous standing orders.
Respective Deputy Commissioners may issue necessary orders regulating provisions of the order on assessment of the actual ground position but they were advised against diluting the provisions and are at the liberty to impose stricter measures as per requirement of local areas.
For all permitted activities, the Head of Offices and proprietors of the shops and establishments will make arrangements for keeping hand sanitizers or provide facilities for hand washing with soap and water for the public as well as for their own staff/workers.
Protocol for social distancing must be ensured.
LOCKDOWN EXTENSION: WHAT’S OPEN?
• Inter-district movement of stranded persons in distress in a regulated manner for a specific period. Separate guidelines to be issued.
• Except in places that have inter-state borders*, taxis and auto rickshaws will be permitted to ply with the condition that they carry not more than two and one passenger(s) respectively. Masks are mandatory for driver as well as passengers. Hand sanitizers to be compulsorily provided by drivers (*Dimapur Sadar, Siethiekema circle, and following sub-divisions: Niuland, Dhansaripar Jalukie, Bhandari, Mangkolemba, Tuli, Tamlu, Naginimora, Tizit, Pfutsero, Meluri and Jakhama)
• Civil Secretariat and Directorates in Kohima and Dimapur and all government offices in the districts will function with attendance of 50% of staff every alternate week on roster system.
• District Administration, Police, Medical Department, essential service providers like Treasury, Fire and Emergency Services, home Guards & Civil Defence, Prisons, PHED, Power, NIC, DIPR, Postal Services, Food & Civil Supplies, Social Welfare, IT&C, Municipalities/Councils, AIR, Doordarshan, Pharmacies, BSCL & Private Telecom Services, Internet Service Providers, Media, LPG, Banks, ATMs and petroleum outlets.
• Home deliveries from dine-in restaurants, food outlets and delivery of online orders of essential commodities shall be permitted.
• Food processing industries in rural areas, i.e., outside the limits of municipalities.
• Industries operating in rural areas, including stone crushers, saw mills, brick kilns
• Collection, harvesting and processing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP), Non Timber Forest Produce (NTFP) by Scheduled Tribes and other forest dwellers in forest areas.
• Bamboo, Coconut, Areca nut, Cocoa, spices plantation and their harvesting, processing, packaging sale and marketing.
• Construction activities in rural areas, to include, water supply and sanitation; laying/erection of power transmission lines and telecom optical fibre and cable along with related activities.
• Functioning of Research Establishments dealing with agriculture and horticulture activities.
• Inter and intra State movement of planting materials and honeybee colonies, honey and other bee hive products.
• Shops of educational books for students.
• Shops of electric fans.
• Recharge facilities for prepaid mobile connection.
• Functioning of food processing units such as bread factories, milk processing plants, flourmills, dal mills etc. located in urban areas.
• Shops for truck repairs along the highways with stipulated minimum distancing.
LOCKDOWN EXTENSION: WHAT’S CLOSED?
• Movement of individuals, for all non-essential activities, between 5 pm to 6 am. Deputy Commissioners and Commissioner of Police Dimapur, have been directed to issue orders under appropriate provisions of law.
• All passenger movements by trains, domestic and international air travel of passengers, except for medical services, air ambulance and for security purposes or for purposes as permitted by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
• Inter-state buses and inter-state movement of individuals except for medical reasons or for activities permitted by MHA.
• Schools, colleges, educational/training/coaching institutions etc.
• Hospitality services other than those used for housing health/police/government officials/healthcare workers, stranded persons including tourists and those used for quarantine facilities.
• Cinema halls, shopping malls, gymnasiums, sports complexes, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars and auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places, including parks, museums and libraries.
• Salons, dine-in restaurants and eateries
• Use of common public toilets will be prohibited
• Crowded areas and market complexes which offer no scope for enforcing satisfactory social distancing will remain closed.
• All social/political/sports/entertainment/academic/cultural/religious functions or gatherings including wedding receptions.
• All religious places/places of worship and religious congregations.
• All persons above 65 years of age, persons with co-morbidities, pregnant women and children below the age of 10 years, shall stay at home except for meeting essential requirements and for health purposes.
