Coaching centres, ITIs, libraries get nod to reopen in Raipur

In view of a drop in infections inRaipur, the district administration on Tuesday allowedreopening of skill training institutes, coaching centres andlibraries, closed since the coronavirus-induced lockdown inMarch 2020, with riders and COVID-19 protocols in place.

However, the district administration did not give thedate from which these public facilities will be allowed toresume operations in the Chhattisgarh capital.

An official spokesperson of the Raipur administrationsaid the district collector has issued an order permittingreopening of skill training institutes (mostly ITIs), coachingcentres and libraries with some conditions as the number ofCOVID-19 cases has dropped sharply in the state capital.

The administration has, however, put some riders toensure their is no spike in COVID-19 cases once thesefacilities reopen after more than 10 months.

Coaching centres and skill training institutes wouldhave to give priority to online classes or distance learningas much as possible and only 50 per cent to the students wouldbe allowed to attend classes in their premises, he said.

It would be mandatory to keep the entrance and exitdoors separate in institutes with operation without humantouch, the spokesperson said.

The order put special emphasis on regular andextensive sanitisation of premises and materials kept incoaching centres and skill training institutes.

Exchange of laptops, notebooks and course materialswould not be allowed while the canteen in these instituteswould remain closed for now, it said, adding CCTVs will haveto be installed to track suspected COVID-19 patients.

The district authority guidelines prescribed strictadherence to social distancing norms in classrooms.

Institutes will have to make arrangement forsanitisers, thermal screening and pulse oximeters, the ordersaid.

They will also have to keep personal record of peoplevisiting the premises so that they can be contactedimmediately if a person is found infected with COVID-19, itsaid.

However, no skill training institute, coaching centreor library located in COVID-19 containment zones would beallowed to reopen, the order said.

The order said strict action would be taken againstthose violating the COVID-19-related norms.