UP: Employees of industries producing essential items exempted from 35-hr weekly closure

He added that apart from this, all marriages on Saturday and Sunday will be allowed with restrictions of 50 persons inside closed spaces and 100 persons in open spaces with masks, social distancing, and use of sanitizers and other precautions as per standard operating procedures. All examinations like that for the National Defence Academy will be allowed during the weekly closure.

People employed with continuous process industries and those producing essential items like medicines and sanitiser in Uttar Pradesh will be allowed to go to their workplaces during the 35-hour ''weekly closure'' from Saturday 8 pm till Monday 7 am, an official said.

The state government also said that marriages on Saturday and Sunday will take place amid restrictions with only 50 people allowed in closed spaces and 100 in open spaces, and organisers have to ensure COVID-appropriate behaviour.

Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases, the government on Friday had announced the closure during this period of every week till May 15 and also said those caught for the second time not wearing a mask will be fined Rs 10,000. The first time fine was doubled to Rs 1,000.

In a statement issued here on Saturday, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Kumar Awasthi said, ''The chief minister has directed that during the corona-curfew of 35 hours, all continuous process industries and accordingly, their workers shall be allowed the movement to their workplaces.'' ''Further, all industries shall open, except those closed on Sunday for weekly off, and particularly pharmaceutical, sanitiser making and other industries which have a direct role in the fight against COVID-19,'' the statement said. He added that apart from this, all marriages on Saturday and Sunday will be allowed with restrictions of 50 persons inside closed spaces and 100 persons in open spaces with masks, social distancing and use of sanitisers and other precautions as per standard operating procedures.

All examinations like that for the National Defence Academy will be allowed during the ''weekly closure''. Examiners and candidates have to show their identity cards to authorities to go to their exam centres, the official said in the statement.

Public Transport shall be allowed to run with 50 per cent capacity, especially state transport buses, Awasthi said.

For funeral services at cremation or burial grounds, not more than 20 persons shall be allowed, he said.

Medical and health-related emergency services will remain open during this ''weekly closure''.