New COVID-19 SOPs Released, Curfew To Now Remain In All Districts From 9 PM To 5 AM

GUWAHATI: The new COVID19 Standard Operating Procedure has been released at 11 AM, today September 1. 

Curfew to be from 9 pm-5am. Inter-district public transport allowed with 100% seating capacity. New SOP becomes effective from 11 am today.

A new set of SOP has been published at 11 am September 1. Health Minister Keshab Mahanta released these SOP in a press conference.

The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) has issued and consolidated directive today again for both rural and urban areas which will remain in force AM of September I, 2021 until further orders.

The salient features of today's order are as follows:

1. Night curfew time will be from 9 PM to 5 AM across the State.

2. Accordingly. all workplaces govt. & private offices/establishment will function as per usual working hours but not beyond 8 PM.

3. All business/commercial establishments, Dine-in Restaurants, hotels. resorts. Dhabas and other eateries, the takeaway of food items from restaurants/Dhabas and other eateries. opening of Sale counters, showrooms, etc. of cold storage and warehouses. shops dealing with groceries, fruits and vegetables, dairy and milk booths, animal fodder will open up to 8 PM across the State.

4. Pillion riding on a motorcycle, shall be allowed with atleast single vaccinated persons and compulsory wearing of a mask.

5. Intra-district transport with 100% seating capacity shall be allowed for passengers having at least a single dose of vaccine. No standing passenger shall be allowed. For standing passengers, a fine will be imposed and the driving license of drivers/registration of vehicles carrying standing passengers will be canceled.

6. Inter-district passenger transport with 100% seating capacity shall be allowed for passengers having at least a single dose of vaccine. No standing passengers shall be allowed. For standing passengers, heavy One will be imposed and the driving license of drivers/registration of vehicles carrying standing passengers will be canceled.

7. The physical classes for the postgraduate, graduate, higher secondary final GSM/Nursing courses and that of technical institutions shall be allowed for students having at host single-dose vaccine. Before the start of physical classes, there will be a 3-day vaccination drive for students. faculty and staff

8. The hostels of the educational institutions are allowed to open only for the postgraduate, graduate, and higher secondary final year students with fully vaccinated students.

9. Meeting/gathering at any open or closed spaces is allowed up to 50 single-dose vaccinated persons with prior intimation to local police. However. w all prior permission of jurisdictional DC for maximum gathering up to 200 persons (at least single vaccinated) may he allowed both for public and private functions which will also be applicable for closed spaces subject to a ceiling of 50% of the hall capacity.

10. Public gathering is allowed up to 50 single vaccinated persons for Marriages /funeral/last rite programme.

11 Religious places are allowed to open with up to 40 single vaccinated persons per hour its iconic places and 20 single vaccinated persons per hour for other religious places.

12. Cinema/Theatre Hall shall continue to remain closed till further notice.

Other restrictions including the declaration of containment zones etc. and exemptions as notified in the order of August 17, 2021 shall continue to remain in force except those specifically modified by this order 

Whereas, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) has vide order of August 17, 2021 issued directives for containment of COVID-19 in both rural and urban areas across the State until further orders;

Whereas, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) vide order dated 28th August , 2021 has directed the States/ UTs to consider implementation of targeted and prompt actions for COVID-19 management as conveyed vide MoHFW advisory dated 28th June, 2021 until 30th September, 2021;

Whereas, the situation of COVID-19 in the State has been further reviewed and shown improvement in terms of case load and overall positivity rate as well;

Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers, conferred under Section 22(2) (h) of the Disaster Management AC(t , 2005, the undersigned, in his capacity as Chairperson, State Executive Committee of the State Disaster Management Authority , Assam , do hereby issues the following directives for both rural and urban areas which will remain in force w.e.f. 11AM of September 01,2021 until further orders.

A. Containment Zones:

In case the test positivity of COVID-19 in any area reaches more than 10 cases in the last seven days, the jurisdictional District Magistrate will notify such areas as total containment zones in consultation with MD, NHM and ensure necessary containment measures for COVID-19.

However, in such zones, emergency services will continue round the clock and essential services including shops dealing with groceries, fruits and vegetables, dairy and milk booths, animal fodder, etc. will remain open upto 8 PM.

Delivery of all essential goods including food, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment through e-commerce in such areas will continue round the clock.

B. Restrictions imposed:

Except for exemptions given in Annexure "A",

C. Other restrictions and relaxations:

1. All Government servants (including contractual and fixed pay) who have taken at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine shall attend office. However, all other employees except those in whose case vaccination is contra-indicated as per guidelines issued by the Health Department of Government of Assam and /or such claim is certified by a registered medical practitioner will have to get themselves vaccinated within 3 days from the date of issue of this order and attend office.

2. Employees engaged in emergency I essential services shall attend their duty without any restrictions at any place.

3. The organizations (Government I Private) rendering Essential/Emergency Services, Law Enforcement Services and Election work will continue work ing without any restrictions in all districts.

4. Pregnant women employees and women employees with children of 3 years or below working under any Government I PSU I Financial Institutions I Private Organizations irrespective of their grade shall be eligible to work from home.

5. Persons with disabilities (PwDs) working in any Government/PSU/ Financial Institutions/Private organizations shall be allowed to attend duties.

D. Public Transport (Government and private)

1. Goods transport shall continue unhindered.

2. All Public transport authorities shall enforce .COVID-19 appropriate behavior and seating inside the vehicles, carriers, containers etc.

3. Auto Rickshaws, cycle rickshaws and taxis shall operate for passengers with 100% seating capacity and observance of COVID-19 appropriate behavior for passengers having at least a single dose of vaccine.

4. Pillion riding on motorcycles may be allowed with at least single vaccinated persons and compulsory wearing of mask.

5. Intra-district transport, with 100% seating capacity subject to observance of COVID-19 appropriate behaviour, shall be allowed for passengers having at least single dose of vaccine.

No standing passenger shall be allowed. Heavy fine will be imposed on such passengers and driving license of the driver/ registration of the vehicle will also be cancelled in the event of carrying standing passengers.

6. All inter-district passenger transport and movement shall be allowed with 100% passengers having at last single dose of vaccine subject to observance of COVID-19 appropriate behaviour.

No standing passenger shall be allowed. Heavy fine will be imposed on such passengers and driving license of the driver/ registration of the vehicle will also be cancelled in the event of carrying standing passengers.

7. Wearing of face mask is mandatory even for a single person driving a vehicle. In case of persons traveling in any private car, up to 100 % of its seating capacity, wearing of face mask is mandatory for all the persons.

E. Educational Institutions (Government and Private):

1. The physical classes for the post graduate, graduate and higher secondary final year shall be allowed for students having at least single dose vaccine. However, students of Class XII who are below 18 year of age and if not vaccinated, should also be allowed to attend the physical classes.

There should not be more than 30 students in a section. The head of the institution will assess the required number of sections and open more sections accordingly, if required.

2. The schools are allowed to open for the first three days only for vaccination of the students, teachers and staff etc. The physical classes shall start from September 6, 2021.

3. All Educational Institutions shall continue to provide quality virtual options for classes other than the post graduate, graduate and higher secondary final year.

4. The hostels of the educational institutions are allowed to open only for the post graduate, graduate and higher secondary final year students with fully vaccinated residents.

5. The physical classes of GNM, Nursing courses and that of technical institutions shall also be allowed to be started with at least single dose of vaccinated pupils, teachers and support staff.

F. Gatherings:

G. Miscellaneous

1. Wearing of face mask is compulsory in all public places.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. Industrial units and Tea gardens may function subject to observance of COVID appropriate behaviour. Head of the unit/tea garden shall be responsible for ensuring social distancing, mask wearing by workers and staff, sanitization of industrial premises, thermal scanning etc.

5. Operation of physical activities of Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC) including auction are allowed with 50% of the total work force till 8 PM including tea tasting, sampling, brokering. Warehousing is fully exempted .

6. Excise authority will continue taking strong action against illegal production and sale of country liquor in all the districts as a COVID containment measure.

7. All vehicles will be allowed to ply without any odd-even restrictions.

Other restrictions including declaration of containment zones etc. as notified vide Order No.ASDMA.28/2021/63 dated 4th May, 2021, dated 15th May 2021 for urban and peripheral areas, exemptions via clarifications issued vide Order No.ASDMA.24/2020/Pt-2/250 dated 13th May, 2021 shall continue to remain in force except those specifically modified by this order.

Annexure-A

A. Following categories of persons are exempted from the purview of restriction on movement (as notified by jurisdictional DDMA) during curfew hours :

1. All Officials and persons, both government and private involved in emergency services such as Health and Family Welfare and all related medical establishments, Police, Prisons, Home Guards, Civil Defence, Fire and emergency services, District Administration, Pay & Account Office, Electricity, Water and Sanitation, Public Transport (Air/Railways/Buses) including all incidental services/activities that are essential for smooth functioning of all modes of public transport ( such as handling of cargo, ticketing, air freight station, CFS, ICD etc.), Disaster Management and related services, IMD,CWC, Water Resources Department, PHE, NIC, ,NCC, Indian Red Cross Society, Postal Department and Municipal services, and all other essential services on production of valid Identity card. The uninterrupted delivery of public services shall be ensured by the concerned departments/agencies.

2. All Judicial officers I officials of courts of Assam on production of valid Identity card.

3. All private medical personnel such as doctors, nursing staff, paramedical staff etc. and other hospital services (such as hospitals, diagnostic centres, clinics, pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies and other medical & health services),

4. Pregnant women and patients for getting medical /health services.

5. Person coming from/going to Airports/Railway stations/ISBTs allowed to travel on production of valid $icket.

6. Officers/officials related to functioning of offices of Diplomats of various countries as well as persons holding any constitutional post on production of valid Identity card.

7. Electronic and print Media on production of valid Identity card.

8. There shall be no restriction on inter-state and intra-state movement I transportation of essential I non-essential goods. No separate permission I e­ pass will be required for such movements.

9. Movement of persons related to commercial and private establishments providing following essential services/commodities shall be allowed:

I. Shops dealing with food, groceries, fruits & vegetables, dairy & milk booths, meat & fish, animal fodder, pharmaceuticals, medicines and medical equipment.

II. Banks, Insurance offices and ATMs.

III. Telecommunications, Internet services, Broadcasting and Cable services, IT and IT enabled services.

IV. Delivery of all essential goods including food, pharmaceuticals, medical equipments through e-commerce.

V. Petrol pumps, LPG, CNG, petroleum and gas retail and storage outlets.

VI. Power generation, transmission and distribution units and services.

VII. Cold storage and warehousing services.

VIII. Private security services.

IX. Manufacturing units of essential commodities.

X. Production units or services, which require continuous process.

10. Persons who are going for COVID-19 vaccination.

11. All the officials/persons entrusted with election related works either by Government authorities or by private enterprises or by the authorities of any political party or contesting candidate on production of a valid Identity card/ engagement letter I appointment order I work order.

12. All the employees I persons involved in operations related to forestry under the Environment & Forest department on production of valid Identity card.

13. Organizations involved in humanitarian I philanthropic works such as supply of cooked food to the COVID patients, feeding of stray animals subject to obtaining prior permission from the jurisdictional DC. '

B. Following activities are allowed during curfew hours:

1. All Agricultural implement supply and maintenance activities may be allowed.

2. Hotels which are accommodating quarantined persons, medical and emergency staff, air crew may be allowed to operate with skeletal service.

3. Continuous process industries may be allowed to function, subject to workforce staying in the premises without outwards/inwards movement during the curfew timing.

4. Agricultural and Tea Garden activities shall continue with strict observance of COVID-19 appropriate behaviour.

5. Activities relating to supply of essential goods from and to FCI establishments shall continue.

6. Hospitals and other related medical establishment including their manufacturing and distribution units both in public and private sector such as dispensaries, chemist and medical equipment shops, laboratories, clinics, nursing homes, ambulances etc. will continue to remain functional. The transportation of all medical personnel , nurses, paramedical staff, other hospital support services be permitted;

7. Private security services shall continue;

8. Manufacturing units of essential commodities shall continue.

9. Railway offices and persons directly linked with operation of passenger and goods trains shall continue to operate. •

10. Bank , Insurance Company and other financial institutions are allowed to work with skeletal staff. ATMs shall continue to operate 24x7.

11. Medicine Distributors and C&F can operate round the clock with optimum workforce for maintaining supply chain of medicines.