Lockdown 3.0: Tamil Nadu allows industries to start ops with restrictions

Tamil Nadu government has extended the lockdown from May 4 to May 17, 2020, with a limited easing of restrictions on construction and other industries, provided thet take the necessary precautions. Public transport, all kinds of functions and gatherings, cinema halls, malls, air-conditioned jewelleries and textiles are not permitted during this period.

Construction, textile, leather, IT and IT enabled services, SEZs among others are permitted to operate in certain locations with limited employees while adhering to social distancing and other standard operating procedures advised by the government. The order was issued after the Union Ministry of Home Affairs announced the extension of lockdown till May 17. All the relaxations are not applicable in the containment zones.

The state has allowed the following activities: construction activities by utilising services of labourers who are at the sites and by bringing workers from outside on a one-time basis; all construction activities and road constrction work by the government and public sector undertakings; SEZ and Export Oriented Unites and export units except industrial estates, with 25 per cent workers (a minimum of 20 persons); IT and IT enabled services with 10 per cent employees or a minimum of 20 persons will be allowed to function in Greater Chennai region. Shops selling essential goods can function from 6 am to 5 pm.

All standalone and neighbourhood shops except salons, spa and beauty parlours etc; shops selling construction hardware, cement, construction materials, sanitaryware, electrical materials and standalone shops selling and servicing mobile phones, computers, house hold applicances and sepctacles have been allowed to function from 11 am to 5 pm. Self-employed workers like plumbers, electricians, AC mechanics, carpenters and home care providers including household workers have also been allowed to work after obtaining necessary permissions from city police commissioner or the district collector.

In locations other than Greater Chennai, all industries located outside the corporations and municipal limits, including textile industries are allowed to work with 50 per cent workers or a minimum of 20 persons. In town panchayats, where population is more than 15,000, the district collector may permit the operation of textile industries with 50 per cent workers based on local conditons. SEZs, industrial estates, industrial townships, including private estates, in rural and urban areas can operate with 50 per cent workers, adhering to strict control.

Spinning mills in villages and town panchayats shall be permitted to function with 50 per cent workers. Leather and textile industries in municipalities and town panchayat areas shall be permitted to function on shift basis after taking the necessary precautions, with 30 per cent workers. IT hardware manufacturing units are allowed to operate with 50 per cent workers, while IT and IT enabled services with 50 per cent employees or a minimum of 20 persons.

Agricultural and allied activities, plantations, marine and inland fishing, animal husbandry, poultry, milk and milk processing, are exempted from the lockdown.

While the Central government has suggested some relaxations when it decided to continue lockdown until May 3, Tamil Nadu has decided not to implement the relaxations in the state.

On Sunday, the state saw the total number of Covid-19 positive cases crossing 3,000 with 266 new cases reported in 24 hours. Out of this, 203 cases reported today were from Chennai, which currently has 1,458 reported cases. The total number of active cases is 1,611, while 1,379 patients have been discharged. The death toll increased to 30, after a 44 yeaer old male from Coimbatore died on Sunday.