Schools may reopen on Sept 1 if no fresh Covid cases are reported: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

GUWAHATI: The Assam government is ready to open schools from September 1 provided there is no fresh spike in Covid cases, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday.
He told the media that inter-district movement of vehicles will also resume from August 16 as the government will lift the round-the-clock curfew from the remaining two districts, Lakhimpur and Golaghat, on Tuesday morning. The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) has ordered withdrawal of total containment from the state till further orders. The fresh directive from ASDMA will come into force from 5 am on Tuesday.
"If the improvement in Covid situation is maintained, on August 7, the government may decide on allowing activities in the districts till 6 pm," said Sarma, adding that the situation will be closely monitored for the next one week.
He informed that phase-wise, the state government is planning to start offline classes from September 1. "Safety of life is most important but we are deliberating on the possibility of opening the final year classes in post-graduate, degree, higher secondary and Class X from September 1. However, we won't take a risk if Covid cases surge again or a third wave like situation arises," he said.
From Tuesday, there will be no round-the-clock curfew anywhere in the state. But as the positivity rate has become only moderate in Golaghat and Lakhimpur, the ASDMA directive said the partial curfew time in these districts will be from 2 pm to 5 am. In the rest of the districts, the curfew timing will be from 5 pm to 5 am.
The ASDMA directive also stated that all workplaces, business and commercial establishments, dine-in restaurants, hotels, resorts, dhabas and other eateries, takeaway of food items from restaurants, dhabas and other eateries, opening of sales counters, showrooms, cold storages and warehouses will be up to 1 pm in Golaghat and Lakhimpur districts and up to 4 pm in rest of the districts.
It added that shops dealing with groceries, fruits and vegetables, dairy and milk booths, and animal fodder will be open up to 5 pm in Golaghat and Lakhimpur, whereas the same will remain open up to 4 pm in the rest of the districts. However, as of now, all inter-district passenger transport services and movement of people to and from other districts will remain suspended. Movement of goods will continue as per the order.
Public gathering also remains allowed but up to 10 persons for marriage or funeral programmes. ASDMA said regarding restrictions on inter-district passenger transport services and movement of people to and from other districts, need based conduct of offline classes in some premier institutions, re-opening of religious places and state protected monuments and sites, decision will be considered after August 7, depending on the reduction in case load. As on Sunday evening, there were 11,295 active cases in Assam.
"Other restrictions, including odd-even formula for plying of vehicles, declaration of containment zones and exemptions as notified in the order of July 27, 2021, shall continue to remain in force except those specifically modified by this order," ASDMA directed.