G.O. Ms. No. 688, COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control, Continuance of Lockdown with Certain Relaxation and Restrictions under the Disaster Management Act, 2005

What the notification governs

G.O. Ms. No. 688, Revenue and Disaster Management (D.M.IV), dated 28 October 2021, continued Tamil Nadu's COVID-19 restrictions until 15 November 2021 under the Disaster Management Act, 2005. It also relaxed restrictions for specified businesses, institutions, transport services and public venues.

The notification may be relevant to owners, tenants and operators of commercial or public premises because it prescribed how those premises could operate. It contains no provisions concerning land title, registration, planning permission or property transfer.

Activities permitted

The Revenue and Disaster Management Department permitted the following activities from 23 October 2021:

• The operating time restriction until 11.00 P.M. for shops, hotels and bakeries was relaxed to avoid overcrowding.
• Indoor and outdoor game stadia could open for training and sporting events, including contact and non-contact sports.
• Swimming pools could operate for therapeutic purposes.

Further activities were permitted from 1 November 2021:

• Schools could conduct classes for standards 1 to 8 on a rotational basis.
• Cinema theatres could operate with cent per cent viewers, subject to the Standard Operating Procedure.
• Cultural events could be held in auditoriums under the Standard Operating Procedure.
• Standalone bars could operate in addition to bars already permitted.
• Intra-district, inter-district and interstate public transport, except services involving Kerala, could operate with cent per cent seating capacity.
• Government training institutes and centres could operate with cent per cent trainees.
• Film shootings could use the required workers and artists under the Standard Operating Procedure, provided all participants were vaccinated.

Continuing safeguards and prohibitions

The notification continued existing restrictions for activities already permitted. Public gatherings for religious consecrations and political congregations remained prohibited.

Shops and public gathering places were required to:

• Provide hand sanitiser and thermal screening at entrances.
• Ensure workers and customers wore face masks.
• Keep doors and windows open for cross ventilation.
• Limit entry to maintain social distancing.
• Use sufficiently spaced queue markings where appropriate.

Containment Zones were limited to essential activities, medical emergencies and supplies of essential goods and services. District Collectors and local bodies were directed to demarcate these zones at the micro level and undertake containment measures, vaccination and house-to-house surveillance.

Enforcement

The Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner, District Collectors and police authorities were directed to enforce masking, hygiene, distancing, screening, sanitisation and applicable Standard Operating Procedures. Violations could result in fines and proceedings under sections 51 to 60 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, section 188 of the Indian Penal Code and other applicable legal provisions.