Covid: Bihar announces more relaxations in lockdown restrictions

PATNA: Bihar government on Tuesday announced more relaxations in the lockdown-related restrictions, but extended the night curfew for another one week- from June 16 to 22, as part of Unlock-3.
However, the government has reduced the period of night curfew by one hour. Earlier the night curfew was imposed from 7pm to 5am. Now it will remain in force from 8pm to 5am every day from June 16 to 22.
CM Nitish Kumar made an announcement about the relaxations through a post on Twitter, soon after he chaired a meeting of the high-powered crisis management group (CMG), comprising senior members of his cabinet and the state’s top bureaucrats.
“The status of Vovid-19 infection was reviewed. For the next one week i.e. from June 16 to 22, while allowing more relaxations, the government and non-government offices will now remain open till 5 pm, shops and business establishments will remain open till 6 pm. Night curfew will be in force from 8 pm to 5 am," Nitish said in a tweet in Hindi.

Soon after the CMG meeting, the state’s chief secretary Tripurari Sharan issued a fresh notification, announcing more relaxations in the lockdown-related restrictions.
As per the fresh notification, now the government and private offices, with 50% attendance, will remain open till 5 pm on all working days. Earlier, these offices were allowed to remain open till 4 pm. It means the offices will now remain open for one more hour.
However, the government offices related to essential services like administration, police, power and water supply, fire services and disaster management would continue to work as it has been working during the previous phases of the lockdown.
As per new notification, all shops and business establishments have now been allowed to open on alternate day from 6am to 6pm. The concerned district magistrates would issue notifications regarding enforcement of alternate day schemes. Earlier, these shops and business establishments were allowed to open till 5 pm.
The shops and business establishments dealing in essential items like grocery, vegetables, fruits, meat and fish, dairy products and public distribution system (PDS) items, have now been allowed to remain open from 6am to 6pm every day. Earlier, these shops were allowed to open till 5pm.
Moreover, all shopkeepers have been asked to ensure availability of sanitizers for use by themselves and the customers. They have been asked to follow norms of social distancing by drawing white circles on the ground in which people would stand while waiting for their turn. “Failure to comply with these guidelines would invite penal actions from the district administration,” the notification reads.
All schools, colleges, coaching and training institutions will continue to remain closed. Religious places will also continue to remain closed for common people. Shopping malls, cinema halls, gyms, stadiums, clubs and swimming pools also would continue to remain closed, an official of the home department said.
As per the new notification, the restrictions on the number of people who could attend wedding ceremonies, Shradh events and funerals remain unchanged at 20. Ban on DJ and marriage parties would continue. People would have to inform the nearest police station three days before organizing any wedding ceremony.