GUWAHATI: Amid the gradual increase in COVID-19 cases and in order to bring into control the pandemic the
Assam government has issued new guidelines and in which all the grocery shops, shopping malls shall remain closed
from 6 PM onwards starting April 20.
And whereas
, it
is felt that in order to contain the fast spread
of the virus, additional prohibition/restrictions on certain activities need to be imposed, except essential and
emergency activities/services, as an emergency measure
for well being and safety of the people. Read more
Now, therefore in exercise of the powers, conferred
under Section 22(2)(h) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the undersigned. in his capacity as Chairperson, State
Executive Committee of the State Disaster Management Authority, Assam, hereby issues
directives as follows which shall come in force with immediate effect
and remain in force till 30 April 2021.
The new Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)s issued by the government are:
A. Gatherings
- Open
functions to be allowed
with the permission of the District Authority subject to
strict adherence
to COVID appropriate behavior, including wearing a face mask, maintaining respiratory etiquette, practicing
hand hygiene through frequent hand washing or hand sanitizers
and maintain social distancing (6 feet). While granting such permission. District
Authority will assess the public bearing capacity
of the open
space and allow gathering of only 50% of its capacity or 400 persons, whichever is lower.
- In Closed venues, gatherings up to 50% of the seating capacity to be
allowed.
- No standing audience shall be allowed
in open/ closed venues.
- The number of guests in Private functions at private venues including marriages to be restricted to 100
persons.
- Funeral / last rites-related
gatherings should ensure not more than 20 persons for each
deceased.
- Religious places/ places of worship should be allowed to be operated with 20 persons per hour. except for
the iconic religious places where
it
can be 50 persons per hour. However. if
any religious place has only a small area. the management committee
of
such
religious institution shall
reduce
the
number
of
attendees accordingly.
- All Market places I supermarkets I shops in the Malls I weekly market should be closed
by 6.00 PM.
B. Work Places (Government and Private)
- Working from
home and virtual working should be encouraged.
- Except officers, only 50% of employees
can work from the office. However, this
will not be applicable for organizations rendering Essential/Emergency Services, Law Enforcement
Services, and Election work.
- Meetings in the official chambers to be discouraged.
- Pregnant women employees
and women
with children
of
5
years or below irrespective of their grade shall be allowed to work from home.
- Social distancing at workplaces should be ensured
through adequate gaps between shifts, staggering of lunch breaks
of staff etc.
- Provision for thermal scanning, hand wash, and sanitizer be made at all entry and exit points and common
areas. In addition, sufficient quantities of handwash and sanitizer should be made available in the
workplaces.
- Frequent sanitization of the entire workplace, common facilities, and all points which come into human
contact should be carried out.
C. Educational Institutions
(Government and Private)
- All Educational Institutions including Schools/Colleges/Universities must provide quality virtual
options.
- Not more than 50% of students should attend in person on any day.
- Schools should stagger class timings
so
that large scale
release of students doesn't arise.
- There will be no morning assembly/special assembly
etc. in the educational institutions.
- Preference to be given on online mode of teaching for primary classes.
- Education Department will issue detailed guidelines/SOP
for uninterrupted education service keeping in view of the COVID-19 precautionary measures.
D. Public Transport (Government and Private)
- All Public transport
authorities shall enforce COVID-19 appropriate behavior and seating inside the vehicles, carriers,
containers etc.
- Auto Rickshaws, cycle rickshaws, and taxis shall operate with one driver and two passengers maintaining
social distancing.
- City buses,
Intra-district, Inter-district
and Inter-state ·buses will be allowed to operate with 50% of seating
capacity.
- No passenger shall be allowed to travel standing in the vehicle.
- Wearing of mask and observance of COVID-19 appropriate behavior
will be mandatory for all passengers.
E. Miscellaneous
- Wearing of face mask is compulsory in all public places
- Shop owners shall
ensure minimum six feet distance among customers and shall not allow more than 5 persons inside the
shop. In addition, shop owners should compulsorily keep sanitizers and hand wash in their shops.
- Shopkeepers and customers shall have to wear masks, hand gloves and maintain social distancing.
Responsibility of maintenance
of social distancing
will be on the shop owner and failure to do so will be viewed very seriously and may entail summary
closure of defaulting shops.
- Barbershops, salons, and parlors shall continue to provide service with strict compliance of COVID-19
appropriate behavior such as wearing face masks. face cover hand gloves.
- Industrial units and Tea gardens may function as subject
to the observance of COVID appropriate behavior. The Head of the tea garden shall be responsible
for ensuring social distancing mask-wearing
by workers and staff, sanitization of industrial premises, thermal scanning etc.
- Following Advisories earlier issued
by ASDMA shall be strictly enforced
- Advisory for Daily
&
Weekly
Markets/ Haat-Bazaars issued vide
Order No.ASDMA.20/2020/Pt./21 7dt.14.07 2020 (Annexure-1)
- Advisory for Engagement of Domestic Help issued vide Order No.ASDMA. 20/2020/Pt./187 dt.
20.05.2020 (Annexure-11)
- Advisory for Apartment Societies for COVID-19 prevention issued vide Order No.ASDMA.23/2020/03
dt. 27.03.2020 (Annexure-111)
- Advisory for elderly people issued vide Order No.ASDMA.23/2020/08 dt. 31.03.2020 (Annexure-IV)
F. Penal Provisions:-
- Any person violating these measures will be liable to be proceeded against as per provisions of Section
51 to 60 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, besides legal action under Sec. 188 of IPC and other
legal provisions as applicable.
- Any person not wearing face mask and/ or spitting in public places shall be fined to the tune of
Rs.1000/- vide ASDMA 's earlier Order No. ASDMA/24/2020/Part-1 /122 dt 14/1012020 which can be imposed
by District wise Task Force comprising of District Disaster Management Authority, Magistracy, Police
Enforcement wing of
District Transport
Officer and Enforcement wing of Guwahati
Municipal Corporation
in their respective
jurisdictions.
Deputy Commissioners will enforce the aforesaid order strictly and effectively for those districts where
the number of active COVID-19 patients rises to 100 or more.
ADVISORY FOR DAILY & WEEKLY MARKETS / HAAT-BAZAARS
In order to prevent
the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in market
places, bus stands, etc. maintaining all protocols of COVID-19, the following advisories are to be followed
strictly. District Administration, CEO, Zilla Parishad, Chairman, Municipal Boards will ensure the strict
implementation of advisory by the Market committee/ Local administration/ Lessee. Advisory to be followed by
Lessee while administering a daily /weekly market:
- The Market committee / Local administration I Lessee will follow orders issued by the State
Govt./ District Administration regarding date and time of opening
and closing of the marketplace including lockdown
orders and restrictive orders
issued by Govt. of Assam from time to time.
- The Market committee/ Local administration/ Lessee will ensure sanitization of the market place before
opening and after
closing of the market/bazaar on daily basis.
- The Market committee/ Local
administration/ Lessee will make necessary arrangements for announcement through public meeting market
place regarding the advisory to be followed at the
"entry" and "exit" of the marketplace.
- The Market committee/
Local administration/
Lessee will ensure pre-positioning of display board on relevant
advisories in the "Entry" and "Exit"
of the marketplace.
- The Market committee/ Local administration/ Lessee may restrict the entry of customers in large
congregations
at a time. Batch-wise entry into the market the place may be allowed
and tokens/ time cards may be issued to each batch
entering the market.
- The distance
between each shop
or street vendor should not be less than 2 meters.Specific markings may be made
with sufficient distance to manage the queue and ensure social distancing in the marketplace.
- Advisory on Entry and exit into the market
place/haat-bazaar should
be adhered to by the public
- The Market committee/ Local administration/ Lessee will ensure deployment
of volunteers at appropriate locations (including entry and exit) of market places to guide general
public I customers on social distancing norms etc.
- Install handwashing points in conspicuous places and keep
sufficient hand-wash.
- Impose fine
in case of any violations regarding spitting etc.
Advisory for "Entry" into the market place:
- Only asymptomatic persons shall be allowed in the marketplace.
- People should wash their hands with soap and water before
entering the market place or sanitize hands
using hand sanitizers installed by market
committee/ local administration/ lessee.
- Posters/ standees on preventive measures about COVID-19 to be displayed prominently. Audio and Video
clips to spread awareness on preventive measures
for COVID-19 should be regularly played at selective locations.
- The customers I general public entering the marketplace will ensure the compulsory wearing of
masks. Fine may be imposed if necessary,for any violations.
- Strict adherence of social distancing
norms will be maintained and a 1 meter distance will be maintained amongst the general public/
customers.
The customers are advised to stand in queue and maintain a 1 meter distance amongst them.
- Use of Polythene/ Plastic bags
in the market place is prohibited. People should carry cloth bags
or baskets for shopping of essentials items/ groceries/ vegetables etc.
- Disposal of face masks in a public places
in market areas shall be strictly prohibited.
- Spitting in the market place I public space shall be strictly prohibited.
- Persons above 65 years of age, persons with comorbidities, pregnant
women and children below the age of 10years are advised to stay
at home, except for essential and health purposes.
- Respiratory etiquettes
to be
strictly followed. This involves strict practice of covering one's mouth and nose while
coughing/sneezing with a tissue/handkerchief/flexed elbow and disposing off used tissues properly.
- All vendors/ shopkeepers will
compulsorily use face masks
and alcohol-based
hand sanitizers. The
notes and coins should be sanitized using alcohol-based
sanitizer before handing over exchange notes /coins to the customer. The vendors/ shopkeepers will
compulsorily wear hand
gloves.
Advisory for "Exit" from the market place:
- Token/ time card will be handed over to person assigned by Market committee/ Local
administration/ Lessee at the exit.
- Proper crowd
management in the parking lots and
outside the
market area -
duly following social distancing norms shall be organized.
- Closed
dustbins should be installed
at appropriate locations outside market place for disposal of face masks and hand gloves.
- Toilets as per size of the market
should be installed at appropriate location.
- Hygiene should be ensured in toilets.
- Devise a proper mechanism for waste disposal
specifically waste generated due to vegetable waste, garbage
etc.
(N.B: 1.This advisory will be applicable on
re-opening of daily & weekly markets /hoot-bazaars or
as per orders issued by Govt. of Assam for
the opening of markets/ bazaars
2. In case of non-compliance of
the orders, penalty will be imposed u/s 51 to 60
of the Disaster Management
Act, 2005 besides
legal action under
Section 188of the /PC)
REVISED ADVISORY FOR ENGAGEMENT OF DOMESTIC HELP
- Teach your house help/ domestic help about
COVID 19: What the virus is,
how it spreads
and the precaution
to be taken.
- Check for orders from local authorities- Police station/ D.C office/Circle Office, if your houseis located In
Containment zone. In containment zones the household may not be able to engage domestic helpor if domestic
helpstays in containment zone, he/she may not beallowed to work. But even if you don't take their services
during this period, it is advised that their wage should not be deducted for this period.
- He/she should sanitise properly before enteringthe house.Keep soap and water handy at the entrance.
- He/she should wear face mask at all times.
- Ask him/her to wash their hand/sanitise every time you send them out for essential
items.
- When they are sent to buy essential items they should wear
proper masks, plastic washable slippers, and a sanitizer (to use in case if she/he touches
anything suspicious in the market/shop.
- Instruct the house to help to maintain a safe physical distance
of 6 feet from others.
- Try to keep away the material from your
body when carrying it from the market. It is better to have a plastic basket/bucket with you when going
to the market. Put the material n bucket
and carry it to your home.
- Tender exact money for the products purchased. In case you pay more and the remaining is returned by
the shop keeper, currency
notes/coins given by shopkeepers/vendors.
- If you have full-time house help, ask him/her
to wash her/his hand thoroughly and frequently with soap and running water throughout the day.
- Maintain physical distancing (6 feet) with domestic help. Don't stay close
to him/her at the time for giving Instructions.
- If he/she
shows any symptom(s) of COVID-19,s/he should be asked to isolate/home quarantine.
- If he/she
shows any symptom
ofCOVID-19, s/he should be taken for testing and medical check up immediately. Provide him/her with
the necessary support for getting
medical help Immediately.
- He/she should be advised to refrain from the consumption of Betel-nut, Gutkha, Tobacco, Alcoholic
beverages
or any other such intoxicating substances.
- He/she should be advised to wash hands with soap and water or sanitize hands with sanitizer before
coming in contact with elderly persons or children at home.
- He/she
shall ensure personal
hygiene at all times
- If he/she is suffering from other chronic illness should be taken
to nearest health center for treatment and allowed
to take rest
Advisory for Apartment Societies for COVID-19 prevention
- Enact preventive measures-
- Visitors protocol- All Apartment Societies shall enforce a visitors' protocol limiting access
of outsid1e visitors
to the apartment. Full details of the visitors shall be maintained, and details shall be entered
by any person managing the entrance (security/other
arrangement} including travel history if any.
- Hand Washing- Each apartment society
shall enforce hand washing at the time of entry for all types of visitors and even for the
families residing within when they come from outside.
Hand washing bay/basin with soap and liquid as well as a poster showing appropriate steps to
wash hands shall be placed at the entrance
and should be strictly ensured. If sanitizers are available,they can also be provided for use in
the entrance
- Shutting down common activities where gathering occurs- All apartment societies shall ensure
that any public gathering platform be it park, swimming pool, fitness centers, common activity
centers are closed,
and no gathering of people is allowed within the apartment premises. The Apartment Societies
shall refrain
from organizing any community event, religious events or any other event that may require
gathering of more than five people at a time.
- Frequent cleaning of common premises- The Apartment Societies shall also implement cleaning
and disinfection measures at least three times a
day particularly for lift buttons, handrails in the staircases,gates
and grills and all other such areas
within the apartment. As far as possible instruction should be given to visitors to avoid touching
anything in the common premises.
- Mechanism for contactless delivery- The Apartment Society shall take measures
to ensure contact less delivery by placing delivery baskets
at the security points. Or the families
should be asked pick up deliveries
outside the gate. Necessary disinfection should be carried out for any
packet received.
- Domestic help- The Apartment
Society shall consider discussing with all resident families to give mandatory leave with pay to
domestic help who work at multiple locations (except those who are staying within the apartment}
- Ensuring stricter implementation of Home Quarantine- The managing committee shall collect all
relevant information about the health, travel
location and duration of all the residents. If any resident has a travel history to COVID affected
places or are
being advised for self-quarantine,the management the committee shall ensure the same while also
maintaining the confidentiality and not hurting/disrespecting the self-respect of such residents.
Further, if any person is being asked for self-quarantine,the management society may consider
- Supporting the home-quarantined person
in accessing daily necessities such as groceries, medicines etc.
- Shall provide necessary psycho-social support while
maintaining all infection control protocols
Monitor and restrict any discriminatory practice that may hurt the self-esteem of the individual.