Nagpur: Municipal commissioner Radhakrishnan B and collector R Vimala have allowed gardens, swimming pools and tourist spots to open in the district and also permitted normal timings for non-essential shops, restaurants, cinema theaters etc from Saturday. The relaxations have been given as per orders of guardian minister Nitin Raut. The approval from state disaster management authority (SDMA) is awaited.
As per officials of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), non-essential and essential shops can remain open up to 11pm (earlier 10pm).
There was confusion over the relaxed timings for restaurants and eateries. NMC officials said it is up to 11pm only. The state government on October 19 had permitted them to remain open up to midnight for the first time.
Cinema theaters can operate till permitted timings of the last show.
The number of people who can attend marriage ceremonies, social, religious, cultural, political and other programs has been hiked from 50 to 200 or 25% of capacity, whichever is less. For funerals, there are no restrictions.
The excise department is yet to issue the order of allowing wine shops up to 10.30pm and bars up to 1.30am (existing 10pm).
On January 31, the government issued parameters for relaxations in various activities. 11 districts, where the first dose of over 90% of the eligible population and second dose of more than 70% beneficiaries have been given, were given relaxations. In Vidarbha, only three — Bhandara, Gondia and Chandrapur — fell into the criteria.
In the same order, the government stated that decision on relaxations in remaining districts will be taken after reviewing the percentage of vaccination from the public health department (PHD) every week. “Relaxations shall be applicable, either fully or partly, only after explicit permission of SDMA. Proposals for seeking such relaxations must detail special conditions that may be prevalent in the districts that have led to sub-optimal status of vaccination, plan to increase vaccination, rational why relaxation is sought despite large population still unvaccinated and at risk etc,” the government had said.
On February 10, the collector had sought normalcy in district from the government saying that the parameters have been achieved.
In the collector’s order issued on Saturday, it is mentioned that the guardian minister directed that relaxations be given to districts as per the January 31 order.
The civic chief did not cite orders of the guardian minister. “The collector and president of district disaster management authority (DDMA) has issued orders of relaxations citing first dose at 99.05% and second dose—71.55%. Therefore, relaxations have been allowed for the city,” he said.
Collector has also stated that Covid-19 test positivity rate has declined to below 3% in the district.
Vimala told TOI, “The government set parameters for relaxations and the district has achieved it. Therefore, relaxations have been allowed.”
With rise in cases and beginning of the third wave of the pandemic, the government had started to impose restrictions from December 24.
CURBS RELAXED: WHAT’S NEW
* No limit on numbers for funerals
*Gardens, swimming pools, tourist spots, forts etc to open
*Timings of non-essential shops 11pm
* Restaurants and eateries 11pm
* Night shows allows at cinemas
* Marriage ceremonies, social, religious, cultural, political and other programs can have 200 people or 25% of venue capacity
*Excise department likely to issue order on Sunday for allowing wine shops up to 10.30pm and bars up to 1.30am
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