Kerala govt denies dilution of lockdown guidelines

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 20 () The Kerala governmenton Monday said there was some "misunderstanding", due to whichthe Centre had objected to dilution of thelockdown protocolafter the state had allowed opening of restaurants and MSMEindustries in municipal areas among others.

The Union Home Ministry has taken strong objection toKerala government's decision to allow opening of restaurants,bus travel in cities and opening of MSME industries inmunicipal areas, saying it amounts to dilution of its lockdownguidelines.

In a letter to the Kerala government, the HomeMinistry said the state government on April 17 has circulatedrevised guidelines for lockdown measures which allowed openingof activities which are prohibited in the Centre'sconsolidated revised guidelines issued on April 15.

State Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran deniedthere was dilution of the lockdown guidelines.

"We have given relaxations in accordancewith theCentre's guidelines. I think there is somemisunderstanding,based on which the Centre has sought anexplanation. Once we give an explanation, it will all besorted out. The Centre and the state have the same stand withregard to fight the pandemic. There is no contradiction in thestand taken. It's just a misunderstanding we will clear it,"Surendran told mediapersons.

He also said the lockdown and easing the protocol wasa new thing for the state and the country and the stategovernment will clear the doubts in a few hours.

The additional activities allowed by the government ofKerala, include opening of local workshops, barber shops,restaurants, book stores, MSMEs in municipal limits, bustravel in cities and towns for shorter distance, twopassengers in the back seat of four-wheelers and pillionriding on scooters.

Hundreds ventured into the streets on Monday after thestate government diluted the lockdown protocol.

This amounts to dilution of guidelines issued by theHome ministry and violation of its April 15 order issued underthe Disaster Management Act 2005, the Home Ministry said.

The Kerala government has announced relaxation ofCOVID-19 lockdown restrictions in two zones, allowing amongothers private vehicles movement in an odd-even basis anddine-in services at hotels from Monday.

The Left government had colour-coded 14 districts ofthe state into four zones-- Red, Green, Orange-A and Orange-B,for containing the Covid-19 pandemic.

Four-wheelers are permitted to carry two passengersbesides the driver and in case of a two-wheeler, only thedriver will be allowed while the pillion rider is allowed incase the person is a family member.

On dine-in services, a government order said it isallowed at hotels and restaurants until 7 pm in Green andOrange-B zone from Monday and in Orange-A zone from April 24.

However, take-away counters can function until 8 PM,thestate government had said. RRT SS