Taking into account the impact of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic particularly on vulnerable groups, the MHA has again reiterated to States/ Union Territories to focus on vulnerable sections, especially children who may have been orphaned due to loss of parents due to COVID-19. The MHA has asked States/Union Territories to undertake an immediate review of existing facilities for vulnerable groups, especially for children who have been orphaned, senior citizens who may require timely assistance and support (medical as well as safety and security), and members of the Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes who may need guidance to access Government support facilities.

The MHA has requested States/ Union Territories forsensitization of police personnel, coordination with various line Departments/ Agencies concerned to effectively deploy the Women Help Desk in Police Stations and Anti-Human Trafficking Units in Districts. The NCRB has released several tools to States/Union Territories to facilitate in this activity, such as the Crime Multi Centre Agency (Cri-MAC) for police to share inter-state information; online National Alert Service for police on missing and found persons using the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS), and an automated photo matching web-based application UNIFY that uses the Machine Learning model to enable police personnel to search photographs of missing persons, unidentified dead bodies etc. against the national image repository in the CCTNS. The MHA has requested the States / Union Territories to create greater awareness on the central citizen servicefor missing personswhich is available online. The MHA has also referred to the recent SOPs issued for safety of Transgendersduring COVID-19.

States/ Union Territories have been using these facilities for the benefit of citizens.

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Maharashtra government extended the lockdown restrictions in the state till December 31. Issuing an order, the state government said that the restrictions will continue in containment zones. Also there will be some restriction on passengers coming from other states. Meanwhile Nationalist Congress Party MLA Bharat Bhalke died on Saturday in Pune while undergoing treatment for post-COVID complications.

“The directions and guidelines issued on September 30 and October 14  to operationalise ‘Mission Begin Again’ for easing of restrictions and phase-wise opening will remain in force till December 31 for containment of COVID-19,” the order stated.

the state on Friday recorded 6,185 new COVID-19 cases, 4,089 recoveries, and 85 deaths. The total tally in the state at present is 18,08,550.

In the wake of the unlock guidelines issued by the Centre, the state had in the last couple of months, eased several lockdown restrictions.

The state government said that the revised guidelines have been issued from time to time by allowing resumption of various activities as part of the “Mission Begin Again”.

Earlier this week, the government allowed reopening of places of worship. Schools for students from Class 9 to 12 have also reopened in some parts of the state this week but in Mumbai BMC put restriction on school opening till 31^st December . Hotels and bars have been already allowed to reopen.

Meanwhile Nationalist Congress Party MLA Bharat Bhalke died on Saturday in Pune while undergoing treatment for post-COVID complications. Bhalke was a three-term MLA from Pandharpur- Mangalvedha constituency in Solapur district.  the NCP leader had tested COVID- 19 positive on October 30 and had been discharged after recovery.

Bhalke had defeated five-time MLA Sudhakar Paricharak in 2014 Assembly polls. Incidentally, Paricharak died due to post-COVID complications three months ago.

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Salient features of the new guidelines

Activities permitted from 15^th October 2020, in areas outside the Containment Zones

• Cinemas/ theatres/ multiplexes will be permitted to open with upto 50% of their seating capacity, for which, SOP will be issued by Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.
• Business to Business (B2B) Exhibitions will be permitted to open, for which, SOP will be issued by the Department of Commerce.
• Swimming pools being used for training of sportspersons will be permitted to open, for which the standard operating procedure (SOP) will be issued by Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MoYA&S).
• Entertainment parks and similar places will be permitted to open, for which the SOP will be issued by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW).

Opening of Schools, colleges, education institutions and coaching institutions

• For re-opening of schools and coaching institutions, State/ UT Governments have been given the flexibility to take a decision after 15^th October 2020, in a graded manner.  The decision shall be taken in consultation with the respective school/ institution management, based on their assessment of the situation, and subject to the following conditions:

• Online/ distance learning shall continue to be the preferred mode of teaching and shall be encouraged.
• Where schools are conducting online classes, and some students prefer to attend online classes rather than physically attend school, they may be permitted to do so.
• Students may attend schools/ institutions only with the written consent of parents.
• Attendance must not be enforced, and must depend entirely on parental consent.
• States /UTs will prepare their own SOP regarding health and safety precautions for reopening of schools/ institutions based on the SOP to be issued by Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education, Government of India, keeping local requirements in view.
• Schools, which are allowed to open, will have to mandatorily follow the SOP to be issued by Education Departments of States/ UTs.

• Department of Higher Education (DHE), Ministry of Education may take a decision on the timing of the opening of Colleges/ Higher Education Institutions, in consultation with Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), based on the assessment of the situation. Online/ distance learning shall continue to be the preferred mode of teaching and shall be encouraged.

• However, Higher Education Institutions only for research scholars (Ph.D) and post-graduate students in science and technology stream requiring laboratory/ experimental works will be permitted to open from 15^th October, 2020, as under:
  1. For Centrally Funded Higher Education Institutions, the Head of Institution will satisfy herself/ himself that there is a genuine requirement of research scholars (Ph.D) and post-graduate students in science and technology stream for laboratory/experimental works.
  2. For all other Higher Education Institutions e.g. State Universities, Private Universities etc., they may open only for research scholars (Ph.D) and postgraduate students in science and technology stream requiring laboratory/experimental works as per decision to be taken by the respective State/UT Governments.

Regulation of gatherings

• Social/ academic/ sports/ entertainment/ cultural/ religious/ political functions and other congregations have already been permitted with a ceiling of 100 persons, outside Containment Zones only.  Now State/ UT Governments have been given the flexibility to permit such gatherings beyond the limit of 100 persons, outside Containment Zones, after 15^th October 2020, which will be subject to the following conditions:

• In closed spaces, a maximum of 50% of the hall capacity will be allowed, with a ceiling of 200 persons. Wearing of face masks, maintaining social distancing, provision for thermal scanning and use of hand wash or sanitizer will be mandatory.
• In open spaces, keeping the size of the ground/ space in view, and with strict observance of social distancing, mandatory wearing of face masks, provision for thermal scanning and hand wash or sanitizer.

To ensure that such gatherings do not spread COVID-19, State/ UT Governments will issue detailed SOPs to regulate such gathering, and strictly enforce the same.

• All activities, except the following, shall be permitted outside containment zones:
  1. International air travel of passengers, except as permitted by MHA.
• Lockdown shall continue to be implemented strictly in the Containment Zones till 31^st October, 2020.
• Containment Zones shall be demarcated by the District authorities at micro level after taking into consideration the guidelines of MoHFW with the objective of effectively breaking the chain of transmission. Strict containment measures will be enforced in these containment zones and only essential activities will be allowed.
• Within the containment zones, strict perimeter control shall be maintained and only essential activities allowed.
• These Containment Zones will be notified on the websites of the respective District Collectors and by the States/ UTs and information will also be shared with MOHFW.

States not to impose any local lockdown outside Containment Zones

• State/ UT Governments shall not impose any local lockdown (State/ District/ sub-division/City/ village level), outside the containment zones, without prior consultation with the Central Government.

No restriction on Inter-State and intra-State movement

• There shall be no restriction on inter-State and intra-State movement of persons and goods. No separate permission/ approval/ e-permit will be required for such movements

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