The State government has issued guidelines to further ease COVID-19 lockdown restrictions on cultural programmes and recreational activities.
As part of the fifth-phase of the ‘unlock’ strategy that came into effect on Tuesday, traditional (artistic) performances will be permitted as part of religious festivals with restricted participation. Cultural programmes and artistic performances will be permitted in both indoor and outdoor venues with participation restricted to those with passes or tickets.
However, small-scale artistic performances such as street plays can be permitted without passes or tickets. Nonetheless, COVID-19 protocols must be strictly adhered to during such programmes.
The maximum number of people who can be permitted for religious festivals, cultural programmes and artistic performances will be restricted to 100 persons for indoor venues and 200 persons for outdoor venues.
The functioning of movie theatres will be permitted with up to 50% occupancy based on tickets or passes. To enforce physical distancing, alternate seats must be ensured as vacant by physical marking to ensure no two persons sat on adjoining seats. Exhibition halls will be permitted to function only for business-to-business purposes and not for the public.
Swimming pools
Training of sports persons in swimming pools can be resumed, provided those concerned disinfected the facilities regularly to avoid a possible spread of infection.
Hostels meant for students belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes categories will also be permitted to function in view of the resumption of classes for students of Classes 10 and 12.
District Collectors have been tasked with deploying an optimum number (between 10 and 15) of Sectoral Magistrates in each district from Tuesday on a rotational basis. These officers will be entrusted with identifying violations of COVID-19 protocols during evenings, holidays and large public gatherings. At the same time, the Home Department will issue orders to extend the magisterial powers of these officers till February 28.
While the Commissioner of Disaster Management will be in-charge of redeployment of Sectoral Magistrates, the District Police Chiefs are mandated with ensuring all such officers are accompanied by police personnel.
Containment zones
The order has also stated that the present system of notifying the containment zones by the State Disaster Management Authority will continue. The District Collectors will be authorised to adopt appropriate measures, including additional restrictions, required in containment zones.
