G.O. Ms. No. 380, COVID-19 Complete Lockdown Further Restrictions, 2021

Scope and effect

The Government of Tamil Nadu Revenue and Disaster Management Department issued G.O. Ms. No. 380, dated 14 May 2021, to impose further restrictions during the statewide COVID-19 complete lockdown. The restrictions supplemented G.O. Ms. No. 371, dated 8 May 2021, and G.O. Ms. No. 377, dated 12 May 2021, and applied within the lockdown period ending at 4.00 A.M. on 24 May 2021.

Shops and commercial activity

G.O. Ms. No. 380 affected shop owners, vendors, delivery businesses and customers across Tamil Nadu.

• Standalone provision, vegetable, meat and fish shops could operate only from 6.00 A.M. to 10.00 A.M., without air-conditioning and with a maximum of 50 percent customers at a time.
• E-commerce entities delivering provisions, vegetables, meat and fish could deliver only from 6.00 A.M. to 10.00 A.M.
• Other e-commerce entities could operate from 2.00 P.M. to 6.00 P.M.
• All other shops, except provision stores, vegetable shops, meat stalls and fish stalls, had to remain closed.
• Tea shops had to remain closed.
• Platform vendors selling vegetables, flowers and fruits were no longer permitted to operate.
• ATMs and petrol or diesel bunks could function as usual.
• Medical shops and indigenous medicine stores could function as usual.

Travel and statewide controls

G.O. Ms. No. 380 made e-registration through https://eregister.tnega.org mandatory from 6.00 A.M. on 17 May 2021 for passengers arriving by air or train from foreign countries or other states. E-registration was also required for travel within a district or between districts for marriage, funeral or last rites of close relatives, medical treatment and elderly care.

The statewide night curfew from 10.00 P.M. to 4.00 A.M. continued. Complete lockdown was also enforced on Sundays, 16 May 2021 and 23 May 2021. The public was advised to buy provisions and vegetables near home and could be prevented from travelling long distances for essential purchases.

Enforcement and safety duties

G.O. Ms. No. 380 directed the Police Department, the Commissioner of Greater Chennai Corporation and District Collectors to enforce the lockdown and applicable operating procedures. Fish and meat stalls were to be moved immediately to spacious locations where crowds gathered.

Face coverings were compulsory in public places, workplaces and transport. Individuals had to maintain 6 feet of distance in public places. Workplaces were required to support work from home where possible, stagger working hours, provide thermal screening and hand-cleaning facilities, maintain distance between workers and carry out frequent sanitisation. Violations could lead to action under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the Indian Penal Code and other applicable legal provisions.