The Himachal Pradesh government on Sunday made few additions and amendments in the orders and regarding quarantine requirements for residents returning from other states and persons visiting the state for business purposes.
A government official said the Chairman, State Executive Committee (SEC), has ordered few additions and amendments in the orders and regarding quarantine requirements and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
The SEC has directed all the departments and organisations, District Magistrate, Police Officers, officials and local authorities to implement the directions of National Disaster Management Authority and the National Executive Committee (NEC).
“As per the amendments, the person covered under SOPs for inter-state movement of industrial workers, industrialists, factory owners, traders, raw material suppliers, service provider, inspecting authorities will be exempted from purview of home quarantine.
The persons visiting the state for bonafide purpose of trade, business, job, project, service purpose, commission agents with supporting documents and entering the state with valid permit/e-pass and not coming from high COVID-19 case load cities and other containment zones from rest of the country will also be exempted from the purview of quarantine,” he said.
The official the management, incharge or head of any NGO or any charitable organisation which has branches and travels to the state for official purposes for a period 48 hours and follow SOPs will be exempt from quarantine norms.
In addition to the instructions in the original order, use of Aarogya Setu app will be mandatory in all cases, including the above exempted categories.
The official further stated that all persons coming from high case load COVID-19 infected cities will be institutionally quarantined.
“Only for exceptional and compelling reasons such as cases of human distress, pregnancy, death in family, serious illness, persons above 65 years of age with co-morbidities and parent(s) accompanied by children below 10 years may be permitted to be home quarantined, instead of institutional quarantine, for 14 days, subject to satisfaction of the concerned District Magistrate about satisfactory arrangements being available for such home quarantine,” he added.
He said the migrant labourers coming in the state can be sent directly to the work site of the orchardist, agriculturist, contractor, project proponents.
The labour can start working at these sites immediately subject to observing all the due precautions including social distancing/isolation and the constant monitoring for symptoms, as is being done for quarantined persons.
The period of active surveillance shall however continue to be the same as per the period prescribed by the guidelines issued by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, he added.