NEW DELHI, Sept 30 - The Centre has issued new guidelines allowing reopening of cinemas, theatres and multiplexes with up to 50 per cent of their seating capacity, for which, Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) will be issued by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.
The new guidelines announced here today by the Ministry of Home Affairs has allowed Business to Business (B2B) Exhibitions to open, for which, SOP will be issued by the Department of Commerce.
Swimming pools being used for training of sportspersons will be allowed to open, for which the SOP will be issued by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MoYA&S).
The new MHA guidelines state that activities are permitted from October 15, in areas outside the Containment Zones.
Entertainment parks and similar places will be permitted to open, for which the SOP will be issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW).
It has also given the State Governments the flexibility to take a call on reopening schools, colleges and higher educational institutions after October 15, in a graded manner.� The decision shall be taken in consultation with the respective school, institution management, based on their assessment of the situation.
Online and distance learning shall continue to be the preferred mode of teaching and shall be encouraged. As schools are conducting online classes, and some students prefer to attend online classes rather than physically attend school, they may be permitted to do so.
Students may attend schools/ institutions only with the written consent of parents.
Attendance must not be enforced, and must depend entirely on parental consent.
States will prepare their own SOP regarding health and safety precautions for reopening of schools/ institutions based on the SOP to be issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education, Government of India, keeping local requirements in mind.
Schools, which are allowed to open, will have to mandatorily follow the SOP to be issued by the Education departments of the States.
The Department of Higher Education (DHE), Ministry of Education may take a decision on the timing of the opening of Colleges and Higher Education Institutions, in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), based on the assessment of the situation.
However, Higher Educational Institutions only for research scholars (PhD) and post-graduate students in science and technology stream requiring laboratory and experimental works will be permitted to open from October 15.
Social, academic, sports, entertainment, cultural, religious and political functions and other congregations have already been permitted with a ceiling of 100 persons, outside Containment Zones only.� Now State Governments have been given the flexibility to permit such gatherings beyond the limit of 100 persons, outside Containment Zones, after October 15.
Lockdown shall continue to be implemented strictly in the Containment Zones till October 31.
There will be no restriction on inter-State and intra-State movement of persons and goods. No separate permission, approval and e-permit will be required for such movements.
