States can take stricter action but can't dilute Centre's lockdown guidelines: MHA

States and union territories (UTs) can take stricter action than what is mentioned in the guidelines issued by the central government to enforce the nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19 but cannot dilute or weaken them, the Union home ministry said on Monday.

Joint secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Punya Salila Srivastava, said home secretary Ajay Bhalla wrote fresh communication to the states as some of them were issuing certain guidelines that amounted to "diluting" the lockdown leading to "severe repercussions to health" of the citizens.

"MHA is regularly monitoring the lockdown situation in the country. Wherever lockdown is being violated we (MHA) are taking adequate action in coordinationwith state governments," she said while briefing reporters about the updates on lockdown measures being implemented across the country.

"Yesterday, MHA again wrote letterto states and UTs that guidelines issued by it under the disaster management Act are to be followed strictly," she said.

"They (states and UTs) can undertake stricter steps as per their local conditions but not dilute or weaken them," she added.

Writing this letter became important, she said, as in some states facilities were being allowed which were not permitted under the MHA guidelines.

The ministry also wrote to the Kerala government about the directives issued by the state and expressedits concerns over it, she said.

The ministry, through a letter written by Bhalla to Kerala chief secretary Tom Jose, came down heavily on the state government for its decision to allow opening of restaurants, bus travel in cities and opening of MSME industries in urban areas, saying it amounts to dilution of lockdown guidelines and also a Supreme Court observation.

Srivastava said that some things, mentioned in the Kerala-issued order, violated MHA guildelines issued under the disaster management Act and was tantamount to "diluting the lockdown."
The MHA officer said it was found that some districts in other states were also violating the lockdown and that can have "severe repercussions for health."