UP allows reopening of some shops selling non-essential goods in rural areas

The Uttar Pradesh government has allowed the reopening of certain shops selling non-essential commodities outside the COVID-19 hotspots in rural areas of the state during the lockdown period. Shops selling construction material, bricks, cement, sand, iron bars, hardware and mobile repairing shops located outside coronavirus hotspots in rural areas will be allowed to do business while strictly adhering to the norms of social distancing and other guidelines issued by the Centre, Chief Secretary R K Tiwari said.

The chief secretary Friday evening issued directions to all the divisional commissioners, district magistrates, DIGs, senior superintendents of police, superintendents of police, and the police commissioners of Lucknow and Gautam Buddh Nagar in this regard. The center had announced on Friday that a "limited" lockdown which includes suspension of air, train, and inter-state road travel will continue to remain in force for two more weeks from May 4 across the country, but some activities would be allowed after classifications of districts into 'Red', 'Orange' and 'Green' zones based on COVID-19 risk profiling.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had first announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown from March 25, which was later extended by two more weeks till March 3 to contain the virus spread.