AMN / THRIVUANANTHAPURAM
A partial normal life will return to seven districts of Kerala from tomorrow, as State Governement declared relaxations will come into effect. It was possible because Kerala continues to flatten the Covid-19 infection curve in the State.
The Centre had approved the Kerala’s proposal to categorize the State into 4 zones where relaxations will come into effect in a phased manner. Accordingly the State is divided into four zones, Red, Orange A, Orange B and Green based on the present situation of Covid-19 infection. From Monday, near normal life will be back in two districts Kottayam and Idukki classified as green zones . Several restrictions will also be lifted in Orange B zone districts, enabling partial normal life from Monday i.e. in Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha, Thrissur, Palakkad and Wayanad.Shops and Dine-in restaurants can function during normal hours in Kottayam and Idukki while in Orange B districts, restaurants can function from 7 am to 7 pm while ensuring social distancing norms . Private vehicles are allowed in odd and even model. Vehicles with odd numbers will be permitted on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, whereas vehicles with even numbers will be allowed on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.Critical services, emergency operations, women drivers travelling solo or with dependents are exempted from this restriction.
In Orange A zones i.e. in Ernakulam, Kollam and Pathanamthitta, relaxation for restaurants will come into effect only from April 24.Banks and government offices will work in normal hours . Other relaxations include grocery shops opening daily from 7 am to 5 pm, Insurance companies, cooperative credit societies and recognized non-banking finance corporations, agriculture, plantations and industries allowed to function with limited staff.
In the red zone that includes 4 districts, kasargode, kannur, kozhikode and Malappuram, strict guidelines will be continued without relaxations till May 3rd.
Meanwhile, masks had been made compulsory for all while venturing out.Public transport will not function till may 3rd as per Centre’s direction.All places of worship and schools, colleges and shopping malls will remain closed across the state till May 3. All forms of gatherings continue to be strictly forbidden whereas social distancing, hand washing need to followed diligently by all. Meanwhile, presently 140 active cases of Covid-19 are there in the State and a total of 257 people recovered so far from the disease.The number of people under observation came down to over 67000.