The State Government has extended the night curfew imposed in the State from 6 pm to 5 am by another fifteen days till September 9, 2021.As per an office memorandum issued by Chief Secretary, Dr Rajesh Kumar, social gathering and feast are not permitted.
However, unavoidable customary and religious rituals can be performed in open sheds with twenty people in maximum attendance.
In the fresh order, roastered system of shops opening from 8 am to 2 pm in Thangal and Paona Bazar, except in gullies/by lanes between buildings has been reintroduced.
Here are the scheduled of the roastered system of shops dealing in different items.
Monday, Wednesday and Friday
Thangal Bazar: Shoes, stationery and sports items, utensil, crockery, electrical, paint, mattress and carpets, furniture, aluminium construction materials and plywood.
Paona Bazar: Luggage & bags, stationery items, jewellery, cosmetics, photo, cycles, glass and ply, clothes (only Eastern side), dry-cleaners/mattress and carpets, furniture can open in Paona Bazar.
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
Thangal Bazar: Utensils, electronics, computers, mobile including servicing centres, weaving yarn, motor parts, tyres, batteries, hardware, sanitary fitting, tiles and marble.
Paona Bazar: Clothes (Only western side), shoes, weaving yarn, computers and mobiles including servicing centres, electronics, sports, eye glasses.
The order permitted opening of Government offices, PSUs and other public utilities with all Secretariat Departments, Manipur Government offices and office of Government of India to start functioning with e-office and physical attendance of Group A officers and 50 per cent of the remaining staff from August 23 by taking adequate precaution and strictly following Covid Appropriate Behaviour.
It also allowed all employees and personal staff working in Information and Public Relations, Power, Fire Service, PHED, CAF&PD, Home, Health, Relief & DM, Forest, Environment & Climate Change, Finance and Treasuries, Police, Water Resources, Agriculture and Horticulture Departments and District Administration to function normally.
Imphal airport shall remain open and movement of staff and passengers will continue to be permitted, the order said.
The order also permitted offices of Insurance Companies to function with limited staff on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 am to 2.30 pm for public transactions and the remaining days without public transaction.
Postal services should function with limited staff on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 am to 2.30 pm including delivery of medicines, medical equipment and posts.
Limited number of officers and staff can function on the remaining days without public transaction, it said.
Banking services with limited staff on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 am to 2.30 pm for urgent Government and non-Government transactions only.
Limited number of officers and staff can function on the remaining days without public transaction, it said.
ATM services including refilling of cash in ATMs, establishments of Print and Electronic Media and movement of their personnel are also allowed as earlier, it said.
The order further said that all activities related to health and welfare services including animal healthcare, hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and movement of healthcare workers along with pharmacies and opticians including those selling veterinary medicines will be permitted.
Agricultural and horticultural activities including opening of shops and establishments dealing with inputs like fertiliser, seeds, pesticides, mechanical tools, fish feed and animal feed will also be allowed.
Opening of rice mills and bakeries will be allowed subject to taking adequate precaution and strictly following Covid Appropriate Behaviour, while petrol pumps and LPG outlets and movement of staff of IOCL will continue to be permitted, it said.
All standalone shops selling construction materials, hardware, electrical items, cements, stationary etc outside Paona and Thangal Bazar are also allowed to open from 7 am to 2 pm.
Shopping malls shall remain closed.
The order also mentioned that spare parts shops will be allowed to open along with vehicle workshops of goods trucks, petrol tankers, LPG bullets, etc, which can open from 9 am to 3 pm on all days while taking adequate precaution and strictly following Covid Appropriate Behaviour.
Local vegetable vendors and grocery shops are permitted to open from 7 am to 2 pm for purchase on all days.
The vegetable vendors must be seated at least 6 feet away from one another on spaces marked by district administration and should wear masks all the time, it ordered.
Shops selling fish, poultry and poultry products can open from 8 am to 2 pm while those dealing in milk and its product can open every day from 6 am to 9 am.
Hotels for lodging will be allowed to remain open with minimum staff, while restaurants will remain closed.
Home delivery of various goods and services (food items, vegetables, groceries, medicines, etc,) including e-commerce platforms will also be permitted, it stated.
Vehicles showrooms and servicing centres of vehicles from 8 am to 2 pm.
The other permitted includes private security services, food processing units, including manufacturing units in Industrial Estate and mineral water manufacturing and distribution.
Construction activities will be permitted subject to onsite stay arrangements of workers for projects related to NREGA activities of RDPR, railways, NHIDCL, ADB, NDB projects of PHED, PMGSY of RDPR and other important projects of the Government, it added.
(Courtesy: The Sangai Express)