lockdown
Representative image.

As Monday dawned, the country geared up for lockdown 3.0.

States and union territories have drafted their own rules, mostly in line with the central government guidelines that have given area-specific relaxations in a graded approach to bring back normalcy in the backdrop of COVID-19 pandemic.

However, according to reports, there were some that stood out.

Among them was Jharkhand, which announced that there will be no relaxations spelt out by the central government for the three zones in the country – red, orange and green – for two weeks beginning Monday.

In the state, capital Ranchi is in red zone (areas with most COVID-19 cases); 11 districts are in orange zone (places with fewer cases) while the rest of the 12 are in green zone (places with no cases).

The northeastern state of Mizoram promulgated an ordinance making the punishment for violations of lockdown measures more stringent, a day after Rajasthan passed a similar ordinance.

The Assam government announced a complete ban on the movement of non-essential travel between 6 pm and 6 am for the next two weeks, which covers the extended lockdown period.

The central guideline has banned such travels from 7 pm and 7 am.

Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, two big states, toed the Centre’s line.

The Maharashtra government allowed the functioning of standalone liquor shops across the state, barring containment zones (which are areas inside red/orange zones with stricter perimeter control).

According to a government notification, standalone shops selling non-essential items, too, will be allowed in red zones, which include Mumbai and Pune.

Construction activities in all red zone districts will be allowed, provided workers are available on site.

In UP, standalone liquor shops can operate from 10 am to 7 pm with social distancing in red zones.

The state also allowed all standalone shops and shops in residential complexes.

In line with the central directive, the state allowed private four-wheelers with a maximum of two persons besides the driver for all activities permitted by the government in red zones.

Private offices can operate with up to 33 per cent of staff strength in such areas.

Lucknow, the capital of India’s most populous state, Agra and Gautam Budh Nagar (which houses Noida), among other districts in UP, are red zones.

Chhattisgarh, too, allowed liquor shops and was planning to start its home delivery, according to a minister.

Liquor shops will be open from 8am to 7pm.

Karnataka, too, permitted the sale of liquor in standalone stores.

So did Madhya Pradesh. But a minister in Uttarakhand said liquor shops may not be open in red zones.

And Kerala, where per capita consumption is second highest after Punjab, was yet to resume selling liquor.

Karnataka said Bengaluru urban and its four neighbouring districts (Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara, Chikkaballapur and Kolar) would be treated as a single unit for inter-district movement of individuals and vehicles between 7 am to 7 pm for permitted activities with the production of letter from the company they are working in and the official identity card.

Hence, no other inter-district passes will be required to move across these districts, the order said.

The Goa government agreed to restart public transport, including buses, taxis and auto rickshaws but only with 50 ero cent of seating capacity, while restricting their timing from 7 am – 7 pm.