The Maharashtra government on Monday released new guidelines for its Mission Begin Again to unlock activities, allowing inter-district movement without e-pass from September 2.
According to the new State guidelines, hotels and lodges can operate at 100% capacity, while private offices can operate at 30% staff capacity. A separate standard operating procedure (SOP) will be issued for the functioning of hotels and lodges. The State government has also allowed passenger movement by private bus/mini-bus operators.
For State government offices, group A and group B officers are required to have 100% attendance. For other groups, 30% staff is required in municipal corporations of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), while the limit is set at 50% in the rest of the State. The government has, however, decided not to restart Metro services, despite the Centre giving clearance for it in its guidelines for Unlock 4.0.
Apart from this, the State has also decided not to open school and colleges till September 30, while promoting online education.
BJPs demand rejected
The State has not given permission for any cultural, social, religious, political or academic congregations. Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been demanding that temples in the State be reopened. However, the government has not accepted this demand.
Cinema halls, swimming pools, theatres and malls will also continue to remain closed. The State government has clarified that local administration will decide on categorising containment zones and decide on keeping non-essential activities open in these areas.
VBA chief enters temple
Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar on Monday declared that his agitation for the reopening of temples across Maharashtra was “successful” as the State government has promised him that places of worship will be opened in the next eight to 10 days.
Mr. Ambedkar, however, warned that the VBA would launch an agitation again after 10 days if the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government fails to keep its word. He said, “Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has made the right decision. I thank him for acknowledging the sentiment of the people and promising to reopen temples.”
Mr. Ambedkar said the government permitted him and 14 of his supporters to enter the Vitthal-Rukmini temple for darshan after they arrived at the temple.
Despite the district administration suspending State Transport bus services and deploying a formidable security shield to discourage assembly near the temple premises, VBA activists, warkaris (devotees) and volunteers streamed into Solapur since morning. The police had a hard time ensuring physical distancing as agitators threatened to break through the barricades erected outside the temple.