K’taka Eases Lockdown in COVID-free Zones; Allows Shops, Industry

The Karnataka govt eased lockdown norms in COVD-19 free districts by allowing shops and industries to reopen

Roads empty in Bengaluru during the lockdown. 

(Photo: The Quint)

The Karnataka government on Tuesday, 28 April, announced relaxation of lockdown norms in certain districts of the state by allowing select additional activities to restart, in places where there are zero to a few cases of the novel coronavirus.

The order noted that in districts with a high concentration of cases, like Bengaluru Urban, Belagavi, Mysuru, Vijayapura, Bagalkot, Kalburgi, Bidar and Dakshina Kannada, the existing norms and restrictions will continue to be in place till 3 May, when the national lockdown is expected to end.

Shops, industries in rural areas and manufacturing units will be allowed to reopen in a few districts, only after ensuring that necessary rules regarding only 50 percent strength of employees working, social distancing and wearing of masks is observed.

Chamarajanagar, Koppal, Chikmagalur, Raichur, Chitradurga, Ramanagara, Hassan, Shivamogga, Haveri, Yadgir, Kolar, Davanagere, Udupi and Kodagu are the districts where the state government has given its go ahead for resuming additional activities.

According to the order, the following activities and services can commence:

• Industries to operate in rural areas, ie, outside the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities (except in Ramanagara district).
• Manufacturing and other industrial establishments with access control in Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Export Oriented Units (EoUs), industrial estates, and industrial townships to begin operation. These establishments would have to make arrangements for stay of workers within their premises as far as possible and/or adjacent buildings and implement standard operating protocol (SOP) as referred to in the Karnataka Revised Consolidated Guidelines. The employers must arrange transport for the workers, keeping social distancing in mind.
• All shops registered under the Shops and Establishment Act, market complexes, except those in multi-brand and single brand malls, lying outside the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities, will open with 50 percent strength of workers, and mandatory masks and social distancing.
• All neighbourhood shops, standalone shops, those in residential complexes, within municipal corporation limits, except those in market complexes and malls will open and operate at 50 percent strength, with workers wearing masks and practicing social distancing.

The order also noted that in districts like Bellary, Mandya, Bengaluru Rural, Gadag, Tumkur, Chikkaballapur, Uttar Kannada, Dharwad, the district in charge minister will take a decision to open shops and industries in taluks with no active coronavirus cases.