Hours after the Ministry of Home Affairs pulled up Kerala for allegedly diluting the guidelines issued on lockdown, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan clarified that there has been no confrontation between the state government and the Centre.
He made it clear that barber shops will not be opened and restaurants will only provide online delivery services.
Addressing a press conference, Chief Minister Vijayan said said that a decision was taken earlier to open barber shops during the lockdown, but many experts pointed out against it following which the Kerala government has withdrawn the move.
In a letter to Chief Secretary Tom Jose, the MHA had objected to the Kerala government giving additional relaxation during lockdown. It said that Kerala’s decision to allow opening local workshops, barber shops, restaurants, book stores and MSMEs in municipal limits was a violation of lockdown measures.
The ministry also added that allowing bus travel in towns, pillion rider on two wheelers, two passengers in the back seat of cars are also a violation of lockdown rules.
This amounts to dilution of guidelines issued by Home Ministry and violation of its order dated April 15 issued under the Disaster Management Act 2005, it said.
The MHA had also sought a report on the issue from the state.
The state Chief Secretary later said that if needed, necessary modifications will be made.
The state government based on the COVID-19 spread had divided the Idukki and Kottayam districts — classified as Green Zone — to witness routine life, subject to the Centre’s directives.
The Orange B zone includes Alappuzha, Thiruvananthapuram, Palakkad, Trissur and Wayanad where also normal activities will be allowed.
In both these zones, shops, hotels, offices will open, but with no crowding at all. Participation in marriages and funerals would be restricted to not more than 20 persons.
Inter-district passage would not be allowed in both these zones.
For vehicular movement, the government has decided to implement ‘odd and even’ formula, but vehicles driven by women have been exempted.
In the case of Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam and Kollam districts — classified under Orange A zone — restrictions would be in force, as of now, till April 23.
The districts like Kasargode, Kannur, Malappuram and Kozhikode in the Red category would continue with the lockdown.