States »EasPosted at: Jun 3 2021 11:29PM Restaurants allowed to operate between 5 and 8 pm during Covid lockdown in Bengal
Kolkata, Jun 3 (UNI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday agreed to allow restaurants in the state to operate between 5 and 8 pm during the Covid lockdown.
However, Ms Banerjee said, all staff members need to be vaccinated and the restaurants must follow Covid protocol.
“Covid-19 contagion is declining in West Bengal following the imposition of restrictions. Restaurants can open for three hours in the evening from 5 pm to 8 pm provided the people working there are vaccinated,” the chief minister said.
While interacting with representatives of various industry bodies at a special meeting conducted by the state secretariat to discuss ways to boost business during the pandemic, she said that her government is providing these relaxations to restaurant operators so they can conduct their business for a few hours daily in order to help the industry survive.
The chief minister said the state government is also thinking of allowing shopping malls to open with 25 per cent workforce after the ongoing COVID-related restrictions come to an end on June 15
“We are not in favour of shutting down businesses. But at the same time, we must try and control the disease so that we don’t have to face another wave,” Ms Banerjee said.
She said that her government was mulling the option of vaccinating domestic helps in the same way it has planned to inoculate hawkers, bus conductors, vendors and others.
The chief minister said altogether 1.4 crore of people in West Bengal have been inoculated so far.
Ms Banerjee announced on Monday a few relaxations as the number of active Covid cases in the state had declined. Retail shops including bookstalls were allowed to open between noon and 3 pm. Constructions activities were permitted to resume after vaccinating all workers. Operations in the information technology sector were allowed with 10 per cent strength between noon and 3 pm.
Ravi Agarwal, Chairman ASSOCHAM Eastern Region and Peeyush Gupta, Chairman, West Bengal State Council, CII were also present in the meeting.
Mr Agarwal spoken extensively of the work being done by ASSOCHAM in partnership with the health department in the state
Mr Gupta said CII worked on supplementing the efforts of the government on augmenting healthcare infrastructure by providing PPE kits, masks and oxygen cylinders, ration kits, arranging ambulances for Covid patients in Kolkata and Siliguri, opening of safe homes at Siliguri to ease the pressure of hospital beds in the state.
“CII has facilitated procurement of 141 oxygen concentrators of 10L capacity through our state members and handed over the same to the health department. I am happy to inform that we are also arranging for 165 more oxygen concentrators and oxygen cylinders which we are planning to handover to West Bengal state Government for the distribution,” he said.
Mr Gupta said, “Under your direction we have undertaken the market sanitization drive in the state including markets in North Bengal.”
"Through our Young Indian arms, CII-Yi have arranged 7 COVID testing camps in Kolkata and Siliguri in association with Thyrocare, and have also arranged for food for COVID affected families,” he said.
Mr Gupta said efforts are also on for facilitating organizing corporate vaccination for members companies.
He said during this time of crisis Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand faced the wrath of cyclone Yaas which has left behind a trail of destruction.
Mr Gupta said CII has immediately formed a Special Task Force for immediate relief and rehabilitation work in the affected districts. CII has got in touch with district administration for linking the action-agenda for each district as per the governments’ list of requirements
He said CII will work towards providing relief material and also facilitate in the reconstruction of damaged houses in select blocks.
Mr Gupta said as the state is gradually recovering from this unprecedented and challenging second wave, we would like to support the state government to draft a Plan of Action for restarting of industrial operations and ensure protection of livelihoods and jobs.
He said the immediate requirement is vaccination both in urban & rural areas for all strata of society. CII is working nationally to facilitate this process.
Mr Gupta said CII is working intensively through this crisis to assist and sustain business continuity to enable industry to adapt to evolving conditions with minimal disruptions for businesses, employees, and stakeholders at large.
CII recommended all industries may be allowed to operate with social distancing norms & with 50% work force, to,meet all essential needs of the economy, ensure protection of livelihoods and jobs
Working hours of shops selling essential commodities may be increased because in the short span on 7 to 10 am there is too much crowding & purpose of restricted hours is getting defeated.
Labour intensive sectors are recommended to be opened in a calibrated manner
All facilities that reopen must have requisite health, sanitation and screening systems in place to protect workers,
Five aspects should be considered while opening up the economy from the current lockdown – workplace safety, logistics issues, re-starting industry in phases, getting back the migrant workforce and institutional mechanism for effective coordination on real-time basis.
UNI BM ACL2339