by: Navjeevan Express

Ahmedabad to open essential shops on May 15 but with some guidelines and restrictions

NE NEWS SERVICE

GANDHINAGAR, MAY 12

Shops selling essential items will reopen on Friday, May 15 on certain conditions in Ahmedabad which has been under a complete lockdown since May 7, the state government said on Tuesday.

Civic authorities had on May 6 ordered the complete closure of all shops in the city, except those selling milk and medicines, for a week from May 7 in a bid to check the spread of coronavirus.

In a release, Additional Chief Secretary Rajiv Gupta, who is overseeing works related to COVID-19 in Ahmedabad, said shops selling essential items such as groceries, vegetables, and fruits, will be allowed to remain open between 8 am and 3 pm from May 15 provided they follow certain conditions.

He said all “superspreaders” like vegetable and fruit vendors and owners of grocery and milk shops will have to procure “health cards” after undergoing screening for coronavirus.

Other conditions include that vendors can sell essential commodities only at a specific area within a municipal ward and that no business activity will be allowed beyond 3 pm.

Shop owners and vendors will have to follow social distancing norms and that they should also try to make transactions digitally, though it is not mandatory.

To accept cash, they should keep a separate tray to avoid direct contact with customers, said the release.

Vendors and shop keepers will also have to compulsorily wear a face mask, hand gloves, and use hand sanitisers, it said.

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) had on Monday decided to ban the cash-on-delivery option for grocery and food items to homes after May 15, saying the deadly coronavirus also spreads through currency notes and made digital payment mandatory.

The time for cashless home delivery will be between 10 am and 5 pm, the release said.

Businesses falling outside containment zones to restart on Thursday in Rajkot

As an effort to restore normalcy in the state amidst the crisis, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Tuesday announced that businesses falling outside containment zones can restart in Rajkot on Thursday.

Secretary to CM Ashwani Kumar said, “All businesses will be allowed to resume in Rajkot from Thursday, May 14 provided they do not fall in the containment zones. The approvals for the same will be provided by the District Collector. Rajkot falls under the Orange Zone. Despite that, the state government did not allow shops and businesses to restart considering the sensitivity of the issue. The city has not registered any new COVID-19 cases since the last week.”

The District Collector will provide necessary approvals. However, the shops and businesses are advised to follow all the safety protocols like observance of social-distancing, using masks and sanitisers, health screens of workers, and timely sanitisation of the workplace. In addition to that, the owners are advised to prevent crowding of workers during office hours. They are also advised to provide adequate time for lunch breaks and ensure staggered working hours.