Haryana extends lockdown till June 28, announces more relaxations

CHANDIGARH:   The Haryana government on Sunday extended the COVID-19 lockdown in the state by another week till June 28, but eased restrictions imposed on weddings and funerals, and allowed corporate offices to operate with full attendance.

According to an order issued by Chief Secretary Vijai Vardhan, up to 50 guests can now attend weddings and funerals or cremations, up from 21 earlier, subject to strict observance of COVID-19-appropriate behaviour and social distancing.

Corporate offices can now open with full attendance but there has to be strict observance of social distancing, COVID-19-appropriate behaviour and regular sanitisation, it said.

Weddings can now take place in courts but processions are not allowed, the order said.

It, however, said swimming pools and spas in the state would continue to remain closed.

Club houses, restaurants and bars of golf courses are allowed to open with 50 per cent seating capacity from 10 am to 10 pm, it added.

"Now after duly considering the fact that although Covid positivity rate and the number of new Covid positive cases have declined, so as to continue the preventive and precautionary measures to contain the Covid pandemic … the 'Mahamari Alert-Surakshit Haryana' is extended for another week from June 21 (5 am onwards) to June 28 (till 5 am) in the state," the order issued by Chief Secretary Vardhan said.

All shops can continue to operate from 9 am to 8 pm, and restaurants and bars, including those in hotels and malls, are allowed to open from 10 am to 10 pm with 50 per cent seating capacity.

The timings for shopping malls will continue to be from 10 am to 8 pm, the order stated.

The state government has termed the lockdown "Mahamari Alert-Surakshit Haryana (Epidemic Alert-Safe Haryana)".

The number of daily COVID-19 cases, which had crossed the 15,000-mark last month, has now come down to under 300, while the count of fatalities has also registered a sharp fall.

The Haryana government-imposed lockdown in the state has now been extended for the seventh time.