Industry body CII on Tuesday made several suggestions on the government's consolidated guidelines on "additional activities" exempted from lockdown after receiving feedback from member companies.
The Ministry of Home Affairs, on April 15, had issued "Consolidated Revised Guidelines" for the containment of COVID-19 epidemic in the country. It also prescribed additional activities exempted from lockdown measures to come into effect from April 20, 2020.
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has submitted recommendations to the government on guidelines based on feedback from its member firms, sources said.
Referring to provision 14 (v) of the MHA notification issued on April 15, CII suggested that "it should be amended to clarify that e-commerce companies for both essential as well as non-essential commodities are allowed".
However, the government on Sunday prohibited the sale of non-essential items through e-commerce platforms during the ongoing lockdown, four days after allowing such companies to sell mobile phones, refrigerators and ready-made garments.
In a document submitted to the government, the chamber said there was a need to clarify that the new guidelines merely provide "select additional activities" that will be permitted from April 20 and do not in any manner restrict activities that were already permitted under the existing guidelines, unless such permitted activity/ establishment falls within a notified containment zone.
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Also, a there was need for "clarity" on what the zones are and how to operate within the zones, it said while suggesting that other than the containment zones even in the hotspots, selected permit activities should be allowed.
The CII further said that according to the notification, districts witnessing high number of novel COVID-19 cases or high growth rate of infections are being marked as Hotspots (Red Zones) where containment zones will be demarcated by States/ UTs/ District administrations.
"However, a distinction needs to be made between Red Zone Districts and Containment Zones within the Districts. In Districts where specific Containment Zones have been identified and barricaded, the rest of the areas in the District should be allowed for industrial operation in the permitted list," is one of the other major suggestions.
Further, it said the government may consider reviewing/evaluating hotspots regularly at the district and larger city level.
"If found safe, the entrepreneurial activities may be allowed," CII said, and added there is a need to define hotspots clearly and publish list of hotspots and containment zones on real-time basis.
On permission allowing select agricultural activities, CII suggested that manufacture, processing, packaging, sales marketing, warehousing and any commercial establishments dealing in any 'packaged food and beverages' should also be allowed.
The CII has also made a case for giving permission to local transport, using minivans to pick up / drop material at the small vendors/ sub-contractors who are scattered and do not have the resources to organise transport.
It further said that IT and ITeS with 50 per cent strength are allowed.
"The key rule is social distancing. Any establishment that can fulfil this stipulation should be allowed. It should be on self-certification," it said.
The leading industry chamber is also of the view that all company run vehicles that get employees of essential services from other districts and states should be allowed to ply with necessary passes.
"The vehicles should be allowed to ply in all districts of the home state and also to districts of neighbouring states, avoiding containment areas," it said.
The CII further said that local administrations are insisting that there will be criminal charge on the establishments with order for 3 months shutdown if anyone in the establishment is found to be testing positive.
"Establishments can be held responsible for violating spatial or sanitary norms, but not if someone in the company gets COVID. This needs to be clearly directed from the Central to all state governments," it suggested.
Regarding very large manufacturing units, CII said that in rare cases, when a worker is tested positive in a large plant which caters to a significant portion of national production, the whole plant should not be shut down.
"But, strict protocols, when a worker is tested positive, should be followed," it suggested. Government has extended the countrywide lockdown till May 3.