Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has clarified that its decision on Sunday to re-open shops of non-essential commodities including liquor shops in the non-containment areas will be reviewed after four days if the number of COVID-19 patients increased.
The notification stated that five non-essential commodities shops could re-open in a lane or on the road between 10 am and 6 pm.
The police will decide which shops would re-open under the respective police station areas. Meanwhile, Pune police extended the opening hours of shops on Sunday night.
However, three police stations in the central area of Pune have been completely sealed, while other containment zones are in jurisdictions of 20 police stations.
People will not be allowed to enter or move out of these areas, except those involved in essential services.
As per the revised containment zones’ list, of the 330 sq km area, only ten sq km area is currently under the micro-containment zone.
There was chaos in the non-containment areas on the first day after implementing the order. Most essential commodity shops were open between 10 am and 2 pm as per the earlier order. Liquor shops were not open. On Monday, Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad said it would take two-three days for the smooth implementation of the order.
“We will discuss in detail the category of non-essential commodities shops with the police. We will constantly monitor the situation. After four days, we will analyse the COVID-19 numbers as well as the public response. If the COVID-19 numbers increase, we will change the terms of the order and impose restrictions, or if the situation improves, more relaxations would be made in non-containment areas,” he added.
“People should follow the norms of wearing masks and social distancing. It is completely up to them to follow the order. There will be no relaxation to any public and private transport such as autorickshaws or taxis. Private offices and IT industry are not allowed to re-open,” he said.
As per the relaxations, only one person is allowed to ride a two-wheeler while two persons can travel in a four-wheeler, besides the driver, he said.
Gaikwad said, “The PMC has instructed all private hospitals to treat COVID-19 as well as non-COVID-19 patients. We are also signing an MoU with private hospitals for providing medical facilities to patients.”
“The civic body will distribute Rs 1 lakh masks in the containment areas. We have placed an order for that. We have spent Rs 7 crore on COVID-19 epidemic till date, of which the state government has contributed Rs 3 crore so far,” he added.
POLICE RESTRICTIONS
Pune city Police Jt CP Ravindra Shisve stated in his order that the shops outside containment zones would be allowed to open from 10 am to 6 pm.
Home delivery of milk is allowed between 7 am to 10 am. All shopkeepers have to use masks, hand sanitizers, face shield, hand gloves and maintain physical (social) distancing at the shops among customers.
No citizen will be allowed to move out between 7 pm to 7 am. All religious places will remain closed.
In containment zones, essential commodities shops will be allowed to open from 10 am to 2 pm, and additional restrictions will continue there.
If there is a violation of these orders, people will be prosecuted for the offence under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code.