OUR REPORTER AIZAWL, OCT 3
The Mizoram government has issued new Covid-19 guidelines with a few more relaxations in the curbs to ease economic and other activities in Aizawl Municipality Corporation(AMC) area and other parts of the state despite rising Covid19 cases.
The new guidelines will come into effect on October 3 and will remain in force in all parts of the state till October 16, as the existing restrictions imposed on September 17 were scheduled to be lifted on Saturday (October 2).
The order related to Covid-19 curbs issued on Friday night said that it has been felt necessary to give more focus on providing better treatment to Covid-19 patients than imposing stringent restrictions despite a spurt in cases.
The new order allowed reopening of churches in worst Covid19 affected AMC area and also in other parts of the state only on Sunday and Sabbath (Saturday) during daytime with 50 per cent sitting capacity.
Churches in Covid-19 free towns and villages outside AMC area have been already re-opened on August 22.
School and other higher educational institutions will continue to remain close in AMC area but training institutes will be allowed to re-opened with 50 per cent sitting capacity in the state capital, the order said.
In Covid-19 free town and villages outside AMC area, the government has already allowed reopening of schools (for KG to class 12) and anganwadi centres on August 15 and further allowed reopening of all educational institutions, including colleges, on September 5.
Re-opening of public parks is now allowed even in AMC area with 50 participants subjected to permission of local-level task force where such parks are located.
Social or public gatherings like anniversary or birthday celebrations and other gatherings are now allowed in AMC area with either 50 per cent of sitting capacity or 50 attendees, whichever is less, the order said.
The number of attendees at funerals and weddings in AMC area has also been increased from 30 to 50 or 50 per cent of the sitting capacity, whichever is less, it said.
The number of people allowed in picnic resorts has been raised from 25 to 50, while the number of participants has been raised to 20 for indoor games and 50 for outdoor games and 50 for gymnasium in AMC area, it said.
The government has also given a nod to holding of tournaments without audience even in AMC area. The number of participants in such events is fixed at 50 or 50 per cent of the sitting capacity, whichever is less. Apart from economic activities or commercial activities allowed previously, the government has now allowed full re-opening of all business shops, market places, hawker stalls, hotels, restaurants (with 50% sitting capacity) and tourist lodges, among others, across AMC area. All government offices in the state will now open with full staff, the order said.
Intra-state movement is allowed under exceptional cases, it said.
Night curfew will continue to be imposed in all district headquarters between 8 pm and 4 am.
In areas outside the AMC limits, deputy commissioners will issue separate guidelines depending on the Covid-19 situation of their districts or areas, the order said.
Mizoram on Sunday reported 1,276 new Covid-19 cases, pushing the state’s tally to 97,732, a health official said.
The death toll rose to 319 as three more people succumbed to the infection in on Sunday, he said. The number of active cases now stands at 15,207, while 82,206 people have recovered from the infection, including 944 on Sunday.
(Source: The Mizoram Post Vol 19 Issue 129 Aizawl Monday 04 October http://www.themizorampost.net/page-view?date=04-10-2021&page_no=1)