The West Bengal government today extended the existing Covid related restrictions and relaxations till 30 September.

According to the notification issued by state chief secretary HK Dwivedi, all outdoor activities ~ including the movement of people and vehicles ~ shall remain prohibited from 11pm to 5am. However, essential and emergency services will be allowed to continue unhindered during this period and beyond, the government clarified in the order.

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However, the state government is yet to permit movement of local trains while chief minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier announced that schools would be reopened after the Durga Puja vacation provided the situation permits.

“All outdoor activities, including the movement of people and vehicles, shall be strictly prohibited between 11pm and 5am except for health services, law and order, essential commodities, including agricultural produce and other emergency services,” the order read.

“Wearing of masks, maintenance of physical distancing, and health and hygiene protocols must be followed at all times,” the order added.

The employers, management bodies, owners, and supervisors of all offices, establishments, and workplaces shall be responsible for provisioning Covid safety measures, including the regular sanitisation of workplaces, the vaccination of employees for compliance with stated directives and Covid appropriate norms.

The state government also mentioned that employers must encourage work-from-home practices as much as possible.

The restrictions were first imposed on 16 May and have been extended at regular intervals.

The order noted that the executive committee of the West Bengal state disaster management authority had recommended that the Covid restrictions be further extended in the state in view of the prevailing pandemic situation. Thus, the existing restrictions have been extended for 15 more days.

An earlier order had kept these provisions – under the Disaster Management Act 2005 read with the West Bengal Epidemic Disease, Covid-19 Regulations 2020 – in effect till 15 September.