Bengaluru, May 31 (IANS): The Karnataka government has allowed all activities to operate outside Covid containment zones with immediate effect, except some such as religious places, hospitality industry, shopping malls and others which will be opened in a phased manner, said a top official on Sunday.

"In areas outside containment zones, all activities will be permitted, except some, which will be allowed with stipulation of following standard operating procedures (SoPs) to be prescribed by the ministry of health and family welfare, in a phased manner," ordered Chief Secretary T. M. Vijay Bhaskar.

In Phase I, religious places of worship, hotels, restaurants, hospitality services and shopping malls will be allowed to operate from June 8.

In Phase II, the state government will consult with parents, institutions and other stakeholders to take a call on reopening of schools, colleges, educational institutions and coaching centres.

"Based on the feedback, a decision on reopening of these institutions will be taken in the month of July," said Bhaskar.

In Phase III, depending on the prevailing situation and after duly assessing, the state government will take a call on international air travel as permitted by the union Ministry of Home Affairs, Metro train services, cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, bars, auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places.

The chief secretary issued nine guidelines to be followed by everyone in the phased relaxation of lockdown norms.

As part of the third guideline, he said night curfew between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. will be strictly implemented.

"Movement of individuals shall remain strictly prohibited between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. throughout the state, except for essential services," he said.

Meanwhile, Covid lockdown will continue to be in force in all containment zones till June 30.

"Containment zones will be demarcated by the district authorities after taking into consideration the guidelines of the department of health and family welfare, government of Karnataka," Bhaskar said.

Under the fifth guideline, the chief secretary said there will be no restriction on inter-state and intra state movement of people and goods.

"No separate permission, approval or e-permit will be required for such movements," Bhaskar said.

However, separate orders will be issued by the state health department regarding the inter-state movement of people to Karnataka based on public health assessment and prevalence of Covid in various states.

"Movement of passenger trains and Shramik special trains, domestic passenger air travel, movement of Indian nationals stranded outside the country and of specific persons to travel abroad, evacuation of foreign national, and sign on and sign off of Indian seafarers will continue to be regulated as per SoPs issued," he said.

Similarly, as part of protecting vulnerable people, individuals aged above 65, children below 10, pregnant women and people with co-morbidities have been advised to stay at home, except for health or essential purposes.

Likewise, for timely provision of medical attention, Bhaskar advised all employers to get their employees to install Aarogya Setu app in compatible phones.

Bhaskar ordered all the district deputy commissioners and Bengaluru civic body commissioner to strictly enforce the guidelines.

"Any person violating these measures will be liable to be proceeded against as per the provisions of Sections 51 to 60 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, besides legal action under Section 188 of the IPC, and other legal provisions as applicable," ordered Bhaskar.

The chief secretary has issued all these directives in the capacity of the chairman of the state executive committee, following the union Home Ministry deciding to reopen prohibited activities in a phased manner outside containment zones on Saturday.

Registration, screening, quarantine for people entering Karnataka

Mandatory registration on Seva Sindhu portal, health screening and select quarantining norms have been ordered for all inter-state travellers arriving in Karnataka from Monday, as part of phased reopening or relaxation of Covid lockdown norms, an official said on Sunday.

"Mandatory self-registration on seva sindhu portal by all travellers before entering Karnataka," ordered Health and Family Welfare Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey.

Every person visiting the state from Monday has to enter his name, address and mobile phone number, however, no approval is required to enter the state.

Similarly, all incoming passengers will be made to undergo health screening at the state border check-posts, airports, railway stations and bus stations.

All business visitors should provide their details while transit travellers must submit the address in the destination state, along with indicating the exit-check post from Karnataka.

"Home quarantine hand stamping on hand for 14-days period as per quarantine norms," said Pandey, which will be determined on the basis of health screening.

All Covid symptomatic passengers arriving from any state will be quarantined for a week at hospital, followed by another week's quarantining at home.

"Test immediately on arrival, if positive, shift to dedicated Covid hospital. If negative, no further test required," he said.

In the light of majority of positive cases in the state occurring in people with domestic travel history to Maharashtra, the health department made separate protocol for people arriving from that state.

All asymptomatic passengers coming from Maharashtra will be subjected to a week's institutional quarantine, followed by another week at home quarantine.

If any passenger develops Covid symptoms during the fortnightly quarantine, they will be made to undergo a test.

However, some asymptomatic individuals from Maharashtra have been provided some exceptions and designated as special category passengers.

Special category passengers include people who suffered a death in family, pregnant women, children below 10, elderly people above 60, individuals suffering from serious illness and human distress.

Similarly, the department has also made some provisions for business travellers from Maharashtra.

Likewise, anybody arriving from Maharashtra with a Covid negative test certificate from an ICMR approved laboratory will be waived of seven days institutional quarantine.

"All travellers from Maharashtra who come with Covid negative test certificate from an ICMR approved lab which is not more than two days old from the date of arrival are exempted from seven days institutional quarantine," said Pandey.

Such passengers will be sent to a fortnightly home quarantine.

Likewise, if someone is a transit traveller from Maharashtra, such persons should establish that they are so by producing a flight or travel ticket for onward journey.

"In case one is travelling by road, he should provide the identity proof and address proof of destination state. Such travellers should be hand stamped if travelling by road as 'Transit Traveller'," said Pandey.

In case of people from other states, all of them will be subjected to 14-days home quarantine.

"For persons where home quarantine is not possible, then institutional quarantine should be done, especially when we have large family or no separate room for home quarantine," he said.

Similarly, institutional quarantining will also be prescribed for passengers from slums or overcrowded places where home quarantining is not possible.

The health department has also listed norms for business and transit travellers from other states.

Listing out some general rules for all people under home quarantine, the health commissioner divided them into people falling in rural areas and in urban areas.

In rural areas, gram panchayat task force will carry out the overall responsibility of ensuring home quarantine.

Common home quarantine protocols in both places include posters notifying home quarantine on the door, information to neighbours, 3-member monitoring teams, flying squads, IVRS call centre outbound calls and quarantine watch app for daily self-monitoring among others.

All those people who are in home quarantine or otherwise, should call 24x7 helpline Apthamitra in the event of developing any symptoms at 14410.

"To get telemedicine help and be directed to fever clinics for further assessment and Covid test," added Pandey.