Kerala’s new guidelines amount to a “dilution of guidelines issued by MHA and violation of MHA Order dated 15th April 2020 issued under the Disaster Management Act 2005,” the letter stated.
The Kerala government has allowed “opening of activities which are prohibited in Home Ministry’s order dated April 15,” the Centre’s missive added.
Kerala’s revised playbook sought to allow the opening of local workshops, barber shops, restaurants, book stores, MSMEs in municipal limits, etc, among others. Other such relaxations were to include bus travel in the cities/towns for shorter distance; two passengers in the back seat of four wheelers; pillion riding on scooters, etc.
The state had earmarked seven of its 14 districts for a partial return to business. Besides, a limited number of private vehicles were also to be allowed on the roads under an odd-even scheme, in ToI had reported.
The Pinarayi Vijayan administration had submitted a proposal to the Centre that divided the state into Red, Orange A, Orange B and Green zones. In three of these zones, restrictions were to be eased in in a graded manner. No easing was proposed for red zones.
As of last week, the positive cases in Kerala were in single digit. Besides, the recovery rate had been steadily rising. In view of the easing situation, Modi govt had okayed Kerala’s proposal last Friday.
On Sunday, Kerala reported two positive cases that took the state’s total number to 401. Of them, 13 have been cured, as per state health department data.
