The central government extended the nationwide lockdown imposed to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus Friday. However, the government significantly relaxed the restrictions imposed in several areas. This was the second time the nationwide lockdown, which first came into effect late-March, was extended.
The government’s plan for Lockdown 3.0, as it has come to be called, involves dividing districts across the country into Red, Orange and Green Zones. Red Zones are the ones with the most number of cases and the highest doubling rate; Orange Zones have comparatively fewer cases while Green Zones have had no cases in the last 21 days.
Find out your district’s zone classification with our regularly updating list
The restrictions imposed in a district will depend on the zone classification of that district. The Ministry of Home Affairs released a list of such restrictions Friday. But, there was confusion on the sale of liquor and e-commerce services since the MHA’s press note did not explicitly talk about these either liquor stores or e-commerce services in all zones.
Top sources within the Ministry of Home Affairs have now clarified that liquor stores will be allowed to open in both Orange and Green Zones. Liquor stores will also be allowed to open in Red Zones as long as they are standalone shops not part of a market complex or a mall.
Similarly, the sources said, e-commerce will be allowed only for essentials on Red Zones. In Orange and Green Zones, e-commerce will be allowed for both essential and non-essentials goods. The sources also added that the issue of allowing or disallowing maids to resume work has been left up to the respective state governments and union territory administrations.
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