KOLKATA: The West Bengal government on Monday allowed all production units, mills and industries, including the IT and ITES sector, to function at full strength in normal working hours as part of its relaxations of the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.
The order issued by chief secretary HK Dwivedi on Monday evening said the relaxations have been allowed provided employees are vaccinated and COVID-19 appropriate behaviour and protocols are fully maintained.
The additional relaxations also included the opening of museums, including ASI protected monuments and entertainment parks with not more than 50 per cent capacity at a time and compliance with COVID-19 appropriate behaviour and protocols.
The state government had extended the COVID-19 restrictions in the state till August 31 and allowed all shops and establishments, including restaurants and bars, to remain open up to the usual working hours but not beyond 10.30 pm.
The state has also allowed outdoor government programmes by maintaining physical distancing and health and hygiene protocols.
Theatre halls, auditoriums, open-air theatres, stadiums and swimming pools would be allowed to open with not more than 50 per cent of seating capacity at a time, the order said.
The relaxations were announced after a review of the COVID-19 situation by the state executive committee of the West Bengal state disaster management authority.
All outdoor activities including movement of people and vehicles shall be strictly prohibited between 11 pm and 5 am, except for health services, law, and order, essential commodities including agricultural products and other emergency services.
District administration, police commissionerates and local authorities shall ensure strict compliance of the directives.
The order has come into effect from Monday itself.
Bengal's COVID-19 tally rose to 15,39,065 on Monday as 502 more people tested positive for the infection, while nine fresh fatalities pushed the state's coronavirus death toll to 18,312, a health bulletin said.
As many as 691 more people were cured of the disease, taking the recovery rate to 98.17 per cent.
Two fresh fatalities each were reported in Hooghly and Howrah, while Kolkata recorded one death.
The state now has 9,382 active cases, while 15,10,921 people have recovered from the disease thus far.
West Bengal has tested over 1.64 crore samples for COVID-19 to date, including 26,124 in the last 24 hours, it added.