The Mizoram government has extended the partial lockdown in the Aizawl Municipal Corporation (AMC) area and certain COVID-related restrictions in other parts of the state by another two weeks till September 4.
The existing partial lockdown or Covid-19 restrictions, which is scheduled to be lifted on August 21, has been extended till September 4 with a few relaxations in the curbs, the government order on Friday said.
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Partial lockdown in AMC area and certain Covid-19 restrictions have been imposed on August 8 to curtail the rising cases of Covid-19 in the state and it has been extended at least two times at a stretch.
The new order on Friday said that places of worship have been allowed to reopen in COVID-free villages or localities outside the AMC area based on the arrangement to be made by concerned deputy commissioners and village task forces.
However, churches for worship or congregational services will continue to remain closed in the AMC area, it said.
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Pastoral circle or area-wise conference or business meeting (bial inkhawmpui or rorel inkhawm) for different churches will be allowed in all parts of the state with a maximum 200 participants or 50 per cent of the sitting capacity of a church where the event will be held, the order said.
The circle conference should be held only during the daytime and people suffering from chronic disease or developing symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 will not be allowed to take part in the event, it said.
Circle conference is held by different churches once or twice a year.
The new order also allowed sports activities- indoor games with 10 participants and outdoor events with maximum 25 attendees in the AMC area.
The gymnasium will also be allowed to open in the state capital with 33 per cent of the capacity.
Movement of people, including a casual visits of neighbours or relatives within the same complex or distant place within AMC except under very essential cases is strictly prohibited during the partial lockdown, the order said.
In areas outside the AMC, deputy commissioners will issue separate guidelines for other restrictions depending on the Covid-19 situation of the area, it said.
Schools and Anganwadi centres will continue to be opened in Covid-19 free villages outside AMC, it said.
Shops dealing in essential commodities, eateries and vegetable seeds or materials will open every day (between 5 am and 9 am for essential commodities/eateries), while shops dealing in other goods, including shops in market places, will be divided into three groups and they will be allowed to open on specific days based on their categorisation from 5 am to 5:30 pm, it said.
Economic or business and agricultural activities will function in all parts of the state, but most shops in the AMC area will be opened on rotation except a few which deal with essential services.
Commercial vehicles or public transportation will continue to operate in all parts of the state and traffic SP will make arrangements for the AMC area to enable them to operate or ply on a rational basis or on specific days, the order said.