Unlock 4: Assam govt withdraws daily night curfew

GUWAHATI: Assam government on Friday has withdrawn the daily night curfew from 9 pm and weekend lockdowns as it implemented centre’s unlock 4.0 guidelines, state chief secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna announced in his tweet on Friday afternoon.
Health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that a SOP is being prepared to implement an order by Gauhati high court to strictly enforce the Covid-19 protocol. Chief Justice Ajai Lamba and justice Manish Choudhary while hearing a PIL on Thursday directed police to be proactive on the streets and check whether the order issued by the state health department on May 8 on wearing of face masks and maintaining social distance in public places are maintained or not. The court also directed the state authorities to impose fine on the violators of government guidelines.
“We are committed to follow the high court order and a meeting will be held with the police and deputy commissioners to ensure that the SOP being prepared is implemented. We do not have too many tools with us, except to ensure that people wear masks and maintain social distance to check the situation. The high court order will help the government convince the people to take adequate preventive measures”, Sarma said.
The state had decided to continue with the restrictions to contain the spread of Covid-19 for four more days saying that the central Unlock 4.0 guidelines, which came into force from September 1, “need to be examined thoroughly” first.
Following the central guidelines, schools, colleges, educational and coaching institutes will also remain closed for regular class activities in the state till September 30, but, students of class 9 to 12 are allowed to visit their schools on voluntary basis and with written consent of parents for guidance from teachers only.
Similarly only 50% of teaching and non-teaching staff are allowed to attend educational institutions at a time for online teaching or tele-counselling and related works only in areas outside of containment zones while skill and entrepreneurship training will be permitted with strict compliance of Covid-19 protocols and in line with guidelines issued by ministry of home affairs.
Higher educational institutions are allowed to operate only for research and unavoidable laboratory and experimental works but this will be allowed only on issue of necessary SOP by Department of Higher Education.
On the other hand public transport will be allowed to operate from September 7 with strict compliance of social distancing and other Covid-19 protocols.
Social, academic, sports, entertainment, cultural, religious, political functions will be allowed with gathering of maximum of 100 persons at a time with effect from September 21 with mandatory wearing of face cover and maintenance of all other COVID protocols already issued
On the other hand marriage related gatherings shall be restricted to 50 persons and last rite related gatherings shall be restricted to 20 persons at a time which will continue to remain in force till September 20, 2020 after which 100 persons shall be allowed to gather.
Cinema, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres and similar places will remain closed.
Lockdown shall remain in force in all containment zones till September 30 and containment zones shall be demarcated by District Magistrates with clear delineation of borders of the same and with the sole objective of breaking the chain of transmission of Covid-19 virus ensuring that there is no movement of people in or out of such zones except for emergency and medical purposes.
There will be no restrictions on inter-state and intra-state movements of persons and goods.