New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) today issued fresh guidelines for Unlock-3 allowing opening up of more activities in areas outside the Containment Zones from August 1, 2020.

The new guidelines, issued today, are based on feedback received from States and UTs, and extensive consultations held with related Central Ministries and Departments, the MHA said in a statement.

What’s allowed during Unlock-3:

Restrictions on movement of individuals during night (Night curfew) have been removed

Yoga institutes and gymnasiums will be allowed to open from August 5, 2020. In this regard, Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) will be issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MOHFW for ensuring social distancing and to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Independence Day functions will be allowed with social distancing and by following other health protocols, In this regard instructions issued by MHA on 21.07.2020 shall be followed.

All activities, except the following, shall be permitted outside containment zones. Running of Metro Rail. Cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places. (ii) Social political sports/entertainment' academic cultural religious functions and other large congregations. Dates for opening of these will be decided separately, based on the assessment of the situation.

What’s not allowed:

After extensive consultation with States and UTs, it has been decided that schools, colleges and coaching institutions will remain closed till August 31, 2020.

International air travel of passengers has been permitted in a limited manner under the Vande Bharat mission. Further opening up will take place in a calibrated manner.

Running of Metro Rail. opening of cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places and social political sports/entertainment/academic/ cultural/ religious functions and other large congregations are not allowed.

Dates for opening of these will be decided separately, based on the assessment of the situation, the MHA guidelines added.

There will be no restriction on inter-state and intra-state movement of people and goods, including those for across land-border trade under treaties with neighbouring countries. No separate permission, approval or e-permit will be required for them.

"Movement by passenger and Shramik special trains; domestic passenger air travel; movement of Indians stranded outside the country and of specified persons to travel abroad; evacuation of foreign nationals; and sign-on and sign-off of Indian seafarers will continue to be related as per the SOP issued," the ministry said.

People above 65 years of age, those with co-morbidities, pregnant women, and children below the age of 10 years are advised to stay at home, except for essential and health purposes.

Lockdown will continue to remain in force in the containment zones till August 31. In such zones, only essential activities will be allowed. There shall be strict perimeter to curb movement of people in or out of these zones, except for medical emergencies and for supply of essential goods and services.

"In the containment zones, there shall be intensive contact tracing, house-to-house surveillance and other clinical interventions, as required," the guidelines stated.

Activities in the containment zones will be monitored strictly by the state, Union Territory authorities, and the guidelines on containment measures in these zones will be strictly implemented.

States and UTs may also identify buffer zones outside the containment zones, where new cases are more likely to occur. Within the buffer zones, restrictions as considered necessary may be put in place by the district authorities.

According to the guidelines, any person violating these measures will be liable to be proceeded against as per the provisions of sections 51-60 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, besides legal action under section 188 of the IPC and other provisions.

The announcement came as the country logged more than 15 lakh coronavirus cases and the daily spike in cases grew close to 50,000.

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