On Saturday, the Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a clarification on its order which allowed the opening of shops amid the lockdown imposed to contain the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Joint Secretary (Home Affairs) Punya Salila Srivastava clarified the order is only applicable to shops which deal in sale of items. "There is no order to open barbershops and hair salons," she said. There is also no order to open liquor shops, added Srivastava.
The Joint Secretary further said that there is no order to open restaurants as well.
The Home Ministry had earlier said, "In urban areas, all standalone shops, neighbourhood shops and shops in residential complexes are allowed to open. Shops in markets, market complexes and shopping malls are not allowed to open." And in rural areas, all shops except those in shopping malls are allowed to open.
"The shops in areas which have been declared as containment zones by respective States/ UTs, will not be permitted to open in rural or urban areas," added the ministry.
The order further stated, "It is clarified by the ministry that sale by e-commerce companies will continue to be permitted only for essential goods."
Meanwhile, total number of coronavirus positive cases rose to 24,506 including 18,668 active cases, 5063 cured/discharged/migrated and 775 deaths, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
(With ANI inputs)
