Hry has opened interstate borders but situation to be assessed daily: Home Minister Vij

Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Monday indicated that if the situation demanded curbs could be reimposed on the state's borders, reopened in line with the Centre's fresh guidelines on the exiting coronavirus-triggered lockdown. Vij said that the situation at the borders will be assessed daily.

"The Centre has said there shall be no restriction on interstate and intrastate movement of people and goods. At the same time, they have given the states the right to make their own assessment of the situation and take action based on that," Vij told reporters. "We will assess the situation daily. If the need is felt, we have the right to take action and we will take it," said Vij, who also holds the health department portfolio.

The Haryana government had on Sunday issued fresh guidelines for the next phase of the lockdown and decided to open its interstate borders, including those with Delhi from June 1 and places of worship, hotels and malls from June 8. Seeking to follow the Centre's guidelines for the next phase of the lockdown, starting June 1, the state government also decided to allow interstate movement of people and goods.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar held a meeting with some of his senior ministers, including Vij, and officials on late Sunday evening and took a call on the Centre's fresh lockdown guidelines, termed as 'Unlock 1.0'. "It was decided in the meeting that there will be no restriction on interstate and interdistrict movements of people and goods," a state government statement had said after the three-hour meeting.

Vij had justified the earlier sealing of the borders with the national capital, saying coronavirus cases in Haryana would have been at par with Delhi had they not taken the step. The Haryana government had maintained that a spurt in infection has been due to rising cases in districts adjoining the national capital owing to the cross-border movement of people from Delhi.

In the fresh guidelines issued on Saturday, the Centre said there shall be no restriction on interstate and intrastate movement of people and goods and no separate permission, approval or e-permit will be required for such movements. However, the Centre made it clear that if a state or Union Territory, based on reasons of public health and its assessment of the situation, proposes to regulate movement of people, it will give wide publicity in advance regarding the restrictions to be placed on such movement, and the related procedures to be followed.

Meanwhile, Vij on Monday also said that the shops will remain open from 9 am to 7 pm. "For shops in market places, it has been decided that they will open daily without any 'left-right' or 'odd-even' system from 9 am to 7 pm and the shops will remain shut for a day as per whatever is their weekly day off," he said.

During the lockdown earlier, shops used to open on the left side of the road on one day and on the right side the other day and shops with odd number were allowed to open on one day while the following day shops having even number would open the other day. The deputy commissioner concerned can, however, impose suitable restrictions in highly congested markets depending on their own assessment. Vij also said that standard operating procedures (SOPs) regarding opening of salons, for wedding functions will be issued soon in the state. He said that guidelines will also be issued soon regarding opening of religious places. Apart from this, home deliveries for restaurants, dhabas will be permitted but they should be done before 9 pm, thereafter no deliveries will be permitted. Vij also said that Health Department teams have been deputed at the railway stations so that all the passengers commuting by trains are medically screened.

He said that in accordance with the instructions of the central government, a curfew would be imposed from 9 pm to 5 am in the state. PTI SUN VSD    KJ.