ES Reporter

ITANAGAR,   Aug 2: Putting all speculations to rest, Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar on Sunday informed that the ongoing Itanagar Capital Region (ICR) lockdown will not be extended beyond August 3 and the ‘unlock’ phase will commence although with some restrictions and protocols.
Addressing the media through a virtual press briefing, the CS said that in the ICR and Doimukh region of Papum Pare district, the state government has decided to go for unlocking which will come into force from 5 am on August 3 and will remain in effect till 5 am on August 31. He further informed that all economic activities will be permitted outside the containment zones with certain restrictions/exceptions. Shops and business establishments, both essential and non-essential including the stand-alone shops will be allowed to remain open daily from 8 am to 5 pm, although the health facilities & pharmacies will be permitted to function without these restrictions as per license agreements.
Under the new unlock protocols, shops/business establishments on the alternate sides of the National Highway from Banderdewa to Hollongi will be allowed to open on alternate days. It was decided that on every Sunday there will be a complete shutdown of all shops and business establishments, except health facilities & pharmacies. All government offices outside the containment zones will function normally, although visitors will not be allowed. Restaurants will be allowed to function only for home deliveries from 9 am to 9 pm and all industrial establishments and construction activities will be allowed to resume activities on condition that the workforce adhere to the social distancing protocol.
Clarifying on resumption of transportation services, the CS informed that all public transport vehicles such as bus, auto rickshaws and taxis etc. can operate with 50 per cent passenger capacity at any given time. Elaborating on the revised SOPs applicable during the unlock period, CS informed that District Administration(s) may allow home quarantine for returnees on a case-to-case basis. “At the Point of Entry (PoE) in the destination district, Rapid Antigen Test conducted for the returnee should test negative and he/she must be asymptomatic for entry into the said district. The cost of testing shall be borne by the state/DA and there must be separate well-ventilated rooms with toilet facility in the proposed home quarantine location,” CS added. Under the new protocol, the concerned returnee should sign an undertaking that he/she will undergo a 5-day compulsory home quarantine to be overseen by the respective DAs. Also, if the returnee under home quarantine does not develop any symptom within the mandatory 5-day home quarantine period, he/she may be allowed to return to normal lifestyle. In case of the reverse, i.e. if there are manifestations of symptoms within these 5 days or anytime within the 28 days of arrival, he/she will have to undergo RT-PCR/TrueNat testing.  

The CS also informed that the DAs may decide on case-to-case basis for home isolation of positive asymptomatic cases for certain categories like parents who are positive without any caregiver, children less than 14 years, lactating mothers, pregnant women, persons with disability (40%) etc. as decided by the district health team.
“Intra-district movement of people will be allowed without restrictions, except for the movement from and into the containment zones,” he clarified, adding that movement between districts(s) via Assam will be regulated by Travel Permit which will be issued at check gates with a validity only for the same-day travel till August 31. 
“Anybody entering the destination district beyond the valid time period of the travel permit has to undergo a Returnee Protocol,” CS informed.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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