All essential as well as non- essential or standalone shops, including some exceptions, will now be allowed to remain open in Nagpur in Maharashtra between 7 am and 2 pm from Monday to Friday under the ‘Break the Chain’ initiative of the state government. An order stated by Nagpur civic chief Radhakrishnan B on Monday stated that the coronavirus positivity rate in the municipal corporation limits is less than l0 per cent and the occupancy of total oxygen beds available therein is less than 40 per cent, a criterion mentioned by the state government in its order issued on Sunday. The new relaxations will apply from June 1 to June 15. The order stated that all the essential shops that are currently allowed to operate between 7 am and 11 am are now allowed to operate between 7 am and 2 pm. Similarly,all non-essential shops (stand-alone shops not located inside shopping centres/malls) shall be allowed to operate between 7 am and 2 pm from Monday to Friday. The movement of people will remain restricted till 3 pm every day except for medical and other emergencies or for home deliveries allowed under the order datedMay 13, it said. All government offices, except those involved directly in the pandemic work, can function with 25 per cent attendance in the Nagpur city limits. The agriculture-related shops shall remain open till 2 pm throughout the week, as per the order. “There are no restrictions for cargo movements and deliveries to shops/establishments beyond the opening time are allowed for replenishments of stock,” the order said. Customers cannot be served beyond permitted times over the counter. Meanwhile, home delivery through e-commerce platforms (essential & non-essential items) will be permitted till 11 pm. While extending the lockdown-like curbs in Maharashtra till June 15, the state government had announced that relaxations will be granted depending upon the COVID-19 positivity rate and availability of oxygen beds. In municipal corporations or regions of districts with less than 10 per cent COVID-19 positivity rate and where the availability of occupied oxygen beds will be less than 40 per cent, all the establishments/shops engaged in essential commodities and services that are presently opened from 7 am to 11 am can now remain open from 7 am to 2 pm, the government had said in an order. For districts and corporations having more than a 20 per cent positivity rate and where over 75 per cent of oxygen beds are occupied, the borders of such districts will be closed and no person will be allowed to enter or exit in such districts. As per the census of 2011, the municipal corporations that are having a population of more than 10 lakh will be considered as the independent administrative unit for curbing the spread of COVID-19. Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Kalyan-Dombivali, Vasai Virar, Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad, Nagpur, Aurangabad and Nashik corporations will be treated as the administrative units, the order had said. CLS NSK NSK