SHOPS On 7th April 2020, the Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA) asked the state governments (Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla wrote to the states) to invoke the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 to ensure the availability of necessary commodities to the people at reasonable prices and prevent hoarding and black marketing amidst this lockdown.
MHA issued an order declaring the shops which are allowed to be open during this coronavirus lockdown after receiving queries about the exemption from particular services and activities through the guidelines issued to date.
Shops selling electrical equipments and fans, services for bedridden senior citizens and attendants, public utilities, mobile recharge shops incurring prepaid and postpaid mobile services are permitted to be opened during this present lockdown which is supposed to end on May 3rd as of now. Planting materials and honey produce (beehive colonies) are allowed to function. The transportation of plant produce between states is also permitted. Small scale bread factories, milk processing plants, lentil mills, and floor mills located in the city areas are allowed to resume their functioning.
Silviculture operations, forest plantation, and offices, all such forest-related operations are allowed to run given that they follow the guidelines regarding social distancing and hygiene as per standard health protocol. In rural areas, all shops with the exception of shopping malls are allowed to open while in urban areas, all the small neighborhood and residential areas shops are allowed to do so.
As for online shopping sites, only essential commodities are to be home-delivered keeping health and hygiene in mind. Following the Standard Operating Protocol (SOP), the ministry has also allowed sign-on and sign-off of Indian seafarers at Indian seaports. Hair salons and parlors aren’t allowed to function and sale of liquor is strictly prohibited. No shops or restaurants are allowed to open in marked hotspot areas.
