NEW DELHI: The Union Home Ministry on Friday issued fifth addendum to the guidelines on the 21-day lockdown, exempting marine fishing, aquaculture industry and its workers from the lockdown restrictions.
Operations of the fishing, marine aquaculture industry, including feeding maintenance, harvesting, processing, packaging, cold chain, sale and marketing hatcheries, feed plants, commercial aquaria, movement of fist shrimp and fish products, fish seed feed and workers for all these activities have been exempted from the shutdown.
The order was communicated to all other central ministries, departments, states and Union Territories for implementation. The home ministry, which is supervising the shutdown, said social distancing and proper hygiene practices must be ensured in each of the activities.
The MHA also directed state and UTs to strictly monitor social media for prevention of circulation of any objectionable content. “Appropriate vigil on social media should also be maintained against the circulation of any objectionable content,” Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla wrote to the states.
In view of the upcoming festivals, the MHA directed the states and UTs to ensure that there is no religious gathering. The government has already exempted a list of essential goods and services, including grocery shops, health, sanitation, police, media and banks, from the lockdown.