As the union government on Saturday announced more relaxation in the fifth phase of national lockdown, on the lines of earlier trend it has given state governments more powers to take decision to restrict activities in non-containment zones, identification of buffer zones, regulation of movement of persons on the basis of public health reasons and being stakeholders in long term relaxations including those on reopening of educational institutions.
The union government on Saturday took the first step towards opening up of nationwide lockdown but made state governments and union territories key stakeholders in decision making exercise. While the government has allowed opening up of interstate travel, shopping malls and religious places, the final decision has been left for the concerned state governments to decide.
The steps announced by the union government is significant because most of the state governments, both Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and opposition ruled, have been demanding that the government should allow greater economic activity and lockdown should be focused on containment zones. The union government has categorically stated on Saturday that state governments can prohibit these relaxations outside containment zones if it is necessary.
“States and union territories, based on their assessment of the situation, may prohibit certain activities outside the contain, or impose such restrictions as deemed necessary,” the MHA order on Saturday said.
In a key relaxation, the guidelines issued by ministry of home affairs (MHA) on Saturday also said that there will be no restrictions on inter-state and intra-state movement of persons or goods. To ease this further, the MHA has said there would be no need of approvals or e-passes for such movements.
“If a state or union territory, based on reasons of public health and its assessment of the situation proposes to regulate movement of persons, it will give wide publicity in advance regarding the restrictions to be placed on such movement, and the related procedures to be followed,” the MHA order dated Saturday added.
The opening up of economic activities in urban areas has come days after union government had already announced starting of limited economic activity in rural areas, primarily for agricultural and allied activities. The issue of opening up first started when state governments started facing problems over harvesting of crops. During the several rounds of meetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief ministers earlier, there was a consistent demand of starting economic activity in rural areas and areas that are in green zones.
