Complete curfew in Pune, domestic help among essential workers allowed

The Maharashtra government had urged local authorities to take a decision on allowing employees involved in domestic work during the period of strict restrictions. The PMC on Wednesday gave permission to domestic help, drivers, cooks and attendants of senior citizens and ailing citizens to commute on all days, from 7 am to 10 pm.

In an order on the restrictions, Municipal Commissioner Vikram Kumar said essential services and activities will be allowed from 7 am to 6 pm. While essential shops include groceries, vegetable shops, fruit vendors, dairies and bakeries, all shops except medical and dairy supply will be shut on the weekends.

“The new rules allow e-commerce services only for delivery of essential goods and services,” stated the order.

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Eateries and restaurants are allowed to offer home delivery services. Liquor shops can also operate home delivery services on weekdays from 7 am to 6 pm, while optical stores have been allowed to operate on weekdays from 7 am to 6 pm.

“Cab services are allowed to operate for emergency purposes, with not more than the limit decided for passengers,” stated the order.

Construction work will be allowed for sites where the labourers live at the site itself. The PMC has clarified that those allowed to work during the restriction period can carry negative Covid reports to work if they are not vaccinated.

All those allowed to work need to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour and violating it would be penalised. The PMC has instructed private companies to have mobile testing facilities at their work places while vaccination camps would be organised if there are at least 100 beneficiaries on an office premises.

The executive order for Pune City Police jurisdiction was issued by Joint Police Commissioner Ravindra Shisve and will be applicable to the entire area of responsibility of the Pune City police. The order by Pune police states those violating the order will be charged under Indian Penal Code Section 188, various provisions of Epidemic Diseases Act and other laws in force.

Speaking about the police deployment, Shisve said, “A considerable chunk of police force will be deployed for strict enforcement of the restrictions that have been put in place to break the chain of transmission. Multiple check-points have been set up across the city and mobile teams have been deployed for round-the clock monitoring of the situation.”

The order for Pimpri-Chinchwad police jurisdiction was issued by Police Commissioner Krishna Prakash and will be applicable to the common areas between the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation and Pimpri-Chinchwad Police. In the rural areas of Pune, except those under PMC and PCMC urban jurisdictions, the prohibitory orders have been issued by Pune District Collector Rajesh Deshmukh.