Telangana has been placed under complete lockdown till March 31 and people asked to remain in homes as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of coronavirus as the total number of COVID-19 patients in the state rose to 27 with six fresh cases on Sunday.
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said that the decision was being taken as it had already been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), and it was therefore necessary to take certain emergency measures to prevent and contain the spread of the virus.
Here's a list of everything that will be shut and everything that will be open during the lockdown period. As per a Government Order (GO) issued on Sunday, all state borders shall be sealed other than for movement of essential and perishable commodities.
What's shut
1. All public transport services including Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) buses, SETWIN and Hyderabad Metro.
2. Taxis, auto-rickshaws etc. will also not be permitted.
3. Operation of all interstate bus and transport services including those by private operators shall also stand suspended.
4. All Educational institutions and education department activities will be closed. All examinations scheduled till March 31 have been postponed.
5. All Anganwadi Centres shall remain closed till March 31. Children, pregnant women and lactating mothers will be provided with take-home ration during this period.
6. All elective surgeries shall be rescheduled in all private and government hospitals to focus on tackling the spread of COVID-19. All pregnant women who are expected to deliver during the months of March – April 2020 will be listed, monitored and assisted by medical staff to ensure institutional delivery
7. All shops, commercial establishments, offices, factories, workshops, godowns etc. shall close their operations, unless they are production or manufacturing units which require a continuous process (For example, pharmaceuticals).
What's open
The government has dubbed the following services as essential:
1. Banks/ATMs and related activities.
2. Print and electronic media
3. IT and ITeS, including telecom, postal and internet Services
4. Supply chain and transport of essential commodities
5. E-Commerce (delivery) of essential goods including food, pharmaceutical and medical equipment
6. Sale of food items, groceries, milk, bread, fruits, vegetables, eggs, meat, fish and their transportation and warehousing activities
7. Take-away/home delivery at restaurants
8. Hospitals, optical stores, diagnostic centres, pharmaceuticals manufacturing and their transportation
9. Petrol pumps, LPG gas, oil agencies, their godowns and their related transport operations.
10. All security services including those provided by private agencies.
11. Private establishments that support the provisioning of essential services or the efforts for containment of COVID-19
12. Airports and related services
Besides these, manufacturing units engaged in production of essential commodities like dal, rice, food and related units, dairy units, feed and fodder units etc will also be permitted to operate.
In the state government, District Collectorates, Divisional offices, mandal offices and the departments of Police, Fire, Health, Electricity and Water Supply, Agriculture, Civil Supplies, Regulatory authorities, Urban Local Bodies, Panchayat Raj institutions and departments that deal with taxation will remain open and functional.
The government offices, shops and establishments that remain open are ordered to take steps to ensure social distancing, so that each person is at least three feet from the other, besides ensuring proper sanitation of their premises.
"The government as well as private establishments shall make payments of wages and salaries fully to the workers and employees including those working under contract and outsourcing basis during the lockdown period. Any violation will be viewed seriously and will invite penal action under The Epidemics Disease Act 1897," authorities said.
During the lockdown period, steps will be taken to ensure that there is no disruption in the supply of essential commodities to the people.
Transport of passengers for accessing emergency medical services shall be permitted. Private vehicles shall also be restricted only to the extent of procuring essential commodities or for commuting to work. The government has also said that residents should stay at home as much as possible and a congregation of more than five people in public places will be prohibited.