Fishing, aquaculture industry exempted from lockdown, says MHA

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has exempted the operations of fishing (marine) and aquaculture industry from the lockdown imposed to prevent the spread of coronavirus, Punya Salila Srivastava, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs said on Saturday.

Srivastav said that MHA, on Friday, issued the fifth addendum to the consolidated guidelines dated March 24.

"Under this new addendum, operation of the fishing (marine)/aquaculture industry, including feeding and maintenance, harvesting, processing, packaging, cold chain, sale and marketing; hatcheries, feed plants, commercial aquaria, movement of fish/shrimp and fish product, fish seed/feed, and workers for all these activities will be exempted from lockdown provisions," Srivastav said.

"However, it will be the responsibility of the head of the organization or establishment to ensure compliance of social distancing and proper hygiene practices. The district authorities will ensure strict enforcement," she added.

She also said that MHA has requested states/UTs to provide police security to doctors and other medical staff.

"MHA in a letter today requested states/UTs to provide police security to doctors and other medical staff, as needed, in the hospitals and the quarantine facilities where they are working," Srivastav said.

She further added that supplies of essential services across the country remain satisfactory.

The total number of positive coronavirus cases across the country are 7,529 including 6,634 active cases. So far, 652 patients have either been cured or discharged while 242 deaths have been recorded in the country, as per data provided by the Ministry of Health on Saturday evening.