Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said the state government had relaxed curfew from 6 am to 8 pm to facilitate residents.
As a precautionary measure, all inter-state movement will be regulated through permits issued by the district magistrate and the entry of people into the state would be allowed with passes only.
Those exiting the state can do so without permission but if they wish to return within 48 hours, they can obtain a permit to return. No passes would be required for inter-district movement.
People coming from other parts of the country would be quarantined, he maintained.
The CM said 1.60 lakh Himachalis, stranded in various parts of the country, had returned to the state since April 25. About 91,000 people had been kept in home quarantine and over 7,000 had been kept in institutional quarantine. The focus should be on tracing and screening of all contacts of Covid positive patients to ensure their timely treatment and to check the further spread of the virus.
He also presided over a video conference with all DCs, SPs and CMOs here on Sunday. Thakur said the DCs and SPs would provide adequate police force for crowd management and law and order maintenance at all bus stands and drivers, conductors and passengers would follow all safety protocols issued by the Health Department.
As per government orders issued by Chief Secretary Anil Khachi, religious places will open but only for local residents. Also, hotels can open but only for people visiting state for official work or business. People from within Himachal too can stay in hotels but no person from outside can come.
As per today’s orders of the Personnel Department, all government offices will be back to normal functioning with 100 per cent staff in attendance from tomorrow. However, the arrival and exit time of the employees will be staggered between 10 am to 5 pm and 10.30 to 5.30 pm to ensure social distancing.
“The provision of thermal screening, hand wash, use of sanitiser will be ensured at entry and exit points and efforts will be made to make the maximum use of electronic mode of official communication,” said RD Dhiman, Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Personnel. This order would, however, not be applicable in containment zones.
He said there will be frequent sanitisation of the workplace with wearing of masks in office being mandatory. Expectant mothers, employees with underlying medical condition and those having symptom of Covid, should take extra precautions. The use of Aarogya Setu app will be mandatory for all employees.
Source : The Tribune