Guwahati, May 12: Assam Government on Wednesday have released a revised, more stringent guideline that have further advanced the curfew time by one hour from from 1PM onward and the movement vehicles from 2pm in a bid to mitigate the COVID-19 threat in the state.

Among the highlights, the shops and commercial activities will be shut by 1 pm and all kinds of bazaar and haats will be suspended for 15 days.

The new guidelines were decided in the first ever cabinet meeting after allotment of charges by the Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma last Wednesday. It was also decided then that the Assam Chief Secretary and Director General of Police will be consulted and they, had informed the state about thr revised guidelines.

Following are the guidelines of the revised SOP to mitigate the COVID disease that has claimed 84 lives in the last 24 hours and the state has over 39 thousand active cases:

1.All shops and commercial establishments shall shut down at 1 PM on all days.

2. Weekly haats / bazaars shall not be allowed for 15 days.

3. Restaurants, Dhabas and other eateries can entertain dine-in guest only up to 1 PM after which only home delivery of food will be allowed.

4. Restaurants operating within a Hotel or Resort can allow outside guests up to 1 PM only after which only in-house guests of the Hotel/Resort may be given room service.

5. Delivery of essential goodsthrough e-Commerce may continue with observance of COVID appropriate behavior.

6. Cold storages and warehouses may continue after 1PM. However, sale counters, showrooms etc. attached to these warehouses or cold storages shall not operate after 1PM.

7. Pharmacies, Hospitals, Animal Care Centres and Veterinary clinics may operate without restrictions being providers of essential and emergency services.

8. All Educational Institutions including Schools/Colleges/Universities must provide quality virtual options. No physical classes shall be allowed for 15 days.

9. All offices both Government and Non-Government shall shut down for 15 days.

10. Government / semi government officers in the rank of Deputy Secretary and above and senior executives in Non-Government sector along with their key support staff will be allowed to attend office upto 1 PM only for emergency and However, 9 and 10 above will not be applicable for organizations rendering essential works. Essential/Emergency Services, Law Enforcement Services and Election work.

11. In case the test positivity of COVID-19 in any area reaches 5% or more in the last one week, District Magistrate will notify such areas as containment zone and ensure necessary containment measures for COVID-19 as envisaged in MOHFW, Gol advisory dated 25th April, 2021 annexed with MHA order dated 29th April, 2021 (Annexure-A).

12. Marriages and religious functions will be only private affairs and be allowed with presence of maximum of 10 (ten) persons. No reception parties will be allowed post or pre marriage.

13. Funeral / last rites related gatherings shall not be more than 10 persons.

14. All Religious places shall remain closed for 15 days. However, the religious head of a religious place or his representative may perform minimal religious rituals/prayers

15. All public transport will be allowed to operate nly upto 30% of seating capacity.

16. Auto Rickshaws, cycle rickshaws and taxis shall operate with one driver and two passengers.

17. Pillion riding will be totally prohibited in two wheelers, except with women and children

18. All vehicles other than government vehicles will be allowed to ply in accordance with an odd- even formula to be decided by the jurisdictional District Disaster Management Authority between 5AM to 2PM. However, this restriction shall not apply to personal vehicles used for medical emergencies.

19. There shall be total ban on movement of individuals from 2 PM to 5 AM daily.