Shopping malls, restaurants reopen in Arunachal Pradesh as 'Unlock-1' begins

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: Shopping malls, restaurants and other establishments reopened in Arunachal Pradesh on Monday after a gap of over two months with the Union Home Ministry (MHA) allowing relaxations as part of 'Unlock-1', the first phase of a calibrated exit from the coronavirus-induced lockdown across the country.

The State government has allowed re-opening of the shopping malls, hotels and restaurants except religious places, Chief Minister Pema Khandu said, adding that "However, the shopping malls and restaurants will have to follow the standard operating procedures (SoPs) as per the MHA guidelines."

The shopping malls of the Pantaloons, Reliance, Vishal, V2 and Bazaar India among others as well as the restaurants and fast food corners were re-opened in the State capital during the day.

All the shopping malls in the capital are undertaking thermal screening of all the customers besides enforcing mandatory wearing of mask. Moreover, all customers were sanitized before entering a mall and asked to maintain social distancing norms.

Though the small restaurants and fast food corners re-opened with footfalls of a good number of customers, the KFC and Domino outlets here have allowed customers only to purchase parcel eatables without allowing them to dine in the outlets.

Meanwhile, the State government has decided to keep all shrines across the State closed till June 30 to contain spread of COVID-19 pandemic. State Health Secretary P Parthiban, in an official order on June 6, put restriction in opening places of worships in the state till June 30 next. "In the larger interest of the public and invoking of the Arunachal Pradesh Epidemic Disease, (Prevention of COVID-19) Regulations 2020, all religious institutions, places of worship shall remain closed till June 30," the order had stated.

While extending lockdown in the containment zones till June 30, the MHA said on May 30 that all economic activities can restart in a phased manner outside those zones.

According to the new guidelines issued by the Ministry, in Phase I of the Unlock-1, religious places and places of worship for public, hotels, restaurants and other hospitality services and shopping malls would be permitted to open from June 8.

The Health ministry stated that it would issue SOPs for those activities, in consultation with the Central ministries and departments concerned and other stakeholders, for ensuring social distancing and to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Arunachal Pradesh on Sunday reported two fresh cases of COVID-19 positive, both from the worst-affected Changlang district, taking the total infected cases across the State to 51. Both the patients, who are returnees from Uttar Pradesh, are asymptomatic and were in institutional quarantine. With the new cases, Changlang district has recorded the highest number of novel coronavirus positive persons in the State with 34 cases. As of now Arunachal Pradesh has 50 positive cases while one patient was discharged from hospital after being cured.

Till date, seven COVID-19 positive cases have been reported from the capital complex — comprising Itanagar and Naharlagun, 34 from Changlang, two each from Namsai and Lohit, and one each from Pakke Kessang, Tawang, Upper Siang, East Siang and West Siang districts. The first case in Arunachal Pradesh was reported on April 2, when a 31-year-old man tested positive for the disease following his return from a religious congregation in Delhi. He was discharged from hospital on April 16.

After almost six weeks, the state registered its second case on May 24, with the return of a 30-year-old student, also from Delhi.  

Also watch: Evening Bulletin | 8th June, 2020