Port Blair, Aug. 10: The Chief Secretary, A&N Administration in exercise of the powers conferred under Disaster Management Act 2005 has issued directions vide order No. CS/Sr.PS/05/2020 dated 30th July 2020 which will be applicable in whole of Andaman and Nicobar Islands till 31st August 2020.
In view of rising number of COVID-19 cases in the A&N Islands, it is deemed necessary that additional restrictions be imposed in areas outside the containment zones.
Accordingly the District Magistrates of South Andaman, N&M Andaman and Nicobar District have ordered the following to remain in force till 18.08.2020.
South Andaman and North & Middle Andaman District
1. All shops and establishments shall remain closed except those that are providing essential services like Grocery/ Kirana/ Milk/ Bakery Ships, Fruits & Vegetable Shops, Meat/ Chicken/ Fish Shops, Chemists/ Pharmacies, Petrol Pumps/ Fuel Depots etc.
2. All the offices of Govt. of India/ UT/ Local bodies shall remain closed except those engaged in Essential services / activities like Health, Medical College, Police, Defence Forces, Revenue & Disaster Management, Agriculture, Social Welfare, Vet. Hospitals, Sanitation, Electricity, Water Supply, Transport, Shipping, ANIIDCO, Fire Services, Medical Labs and Diagnostic facilities (both Govt. & Private).
3. Service Providers engaged in Phone & Internet, Private Doctors/ Clinics/ Nursing Homes, Cable-TV, AIR, Doordarshan, Cargo & Logistics, Courier and home delivery services of items are allowed.
4. Banking (Only essential operations) & ATMs are allowed.
5. Hospitality services engaged as Quarantine Centres/ Isolation Centres or servicing them are allowed.
6. All places of worship shall be closed for the general public.
7. In Rural areas, MGNREGA/ RD/ Agriculture/ Dairying/ Fishery operations are allowed while maintaining Social Distancing only in those areas that are outside containment zones where there is no infection or having very few cases.
8. All incoming passengers from mainland shall be tested and kept in Institutional Quarantine (For residents of Nicobar, North & Middle District, Little Andaman, Swaraj Dweep, Shaheed Dweep) and in Home Quarantine (For residents of South Andaman) till they test Negative (-ve) for COVID-19 of for 7 days, whichever is earlier.
In case of passengers destined for Tribal Areas (Nicobar District, Rangat Tehsil and Little Andaman) they shall be tested by the RT=PCR test.
9. All Drivers and helpers of cargo vehicles/ emergency movement cases on ATR moving towards North & Middle Andaman shall be tested and allowed to move, only if they test Negative (-Ve) for COVID-19.
10. All persons moving by Ship (Including Crew) on inter-island routes shall be tested for COVID-19 before boarding and they shall be allowed to move only if they test Negative (-Ve) for COVID-19. All passengers shall be quarantined on arrival at their destination for 7 days.
Any establishment/ person violating the above directions shall be liable to be proceeded against as per the provisions of Section 51 to 60 or the Disaster Management Act, 2005 besides legal action under section 188 of IPC and other legal provisions as applicable. They shall also be liable to pay fined as per the orders in force.
These orders shall come in force from the Midnight of 11-08-2020 and shall be in force till the midnight of 18-08.2020.
Nicobar District:
While all restrictions remain the same, in the Nicobar District, all persons arriving in the District shall compulsorily undergo home quarantine for 14 days. Similarly, all persons arriving in Katchal, Teressa and Chowra from Kamorta shall be placed under home quarantine for 14 days.
No member of the crew of any ship (passenger or cargo) shall be allowed to disembark without the permission of the respective SDM. All labour working on ship shall be placed under quarantined.