With COVID-19 cases keeps on increasing, the Kerala government has designated Kottayam district as Red Zone.
The aim is to restrict people's movement and activities to check the spread of coronavirus, which causes the disease.
The restrictions are being imposed in three tiers.
The first tier, Red Zone, covers entire district.
The second tier is Hotspot, which comes under the Red Zone. The district administration can decide the hotspots based on inputs and data of virus spread. Even an area with a single case can become a hotspot. Stringent restrictions will be imposed in these zones.
The third tier is Containment zone, which comes under hotspot. Containment zone is the epicentre of the virus spread (residence of the positive case). Most stringent restrictions will be imposed here.
These restrictions may vary in each district.
What's allowed and not allowed in Red Zone, Hotspot and Containment Zone:
RED ZONE (applicable to entire Kottayam district)
What's allowed?
• Healthcare services
• Banks and ATMs
• Print and electronic media
• Akshaya centres
• Telecom, postal and internet services
• Supply chain and transportation of essential commodities
• Restaurants – only parcel service
• Take away/home delivery services of essential commodities, including pharmaceuticals and medical equipment
• Shops selling food, departmental stores and supermarkets can function from 11 am to 5 pm
• Fuel pumps, LPG gas, oil agencies
• Bus stations and Railway stations – only for goods transportation
• Security services including those in the private sector
• Production and distribution of potable water
• Private firms engaged in the production and distribution of masks, sanitisers, medicines, PPEs
Following services and institutions can function with minimum staff
• Offices of health, police, revenue, local self-governments, fire and rescue, civil supplies and disaster management departments
• Home guards, forests, jails, treasury, electricity, potable water and sanitation
• Potable water distribution under local bodies
• Agriculture departments associated with harvesting
• Veterinary hospitals
• Public distribution under cooperative department and ambulance services of the water transport department
• Supply chain of food and consumer departments
• SC/ST welfare department
• Homes for elderly people and other institutions of the social justice department
• Institutions for the welfare of differently-abled and homes for the transgender community
• Government printing presses
• Local body staff associated with COVID-19 works
...But remember
• Taxis, autos can be used only to buy essential commodities and medicines and for medical emergencies
• Private vehicles can be used only for emergency situations, such as buying essential commodities and medicines
• Only one person allowed in two-wheelers; only one person other than driver is allowed in four-wheelers
• Those use public roads and office staff must wear masks
• Practice social distancing
• Heads of offices/institutions must strictly ensure 'Break the Chain' guideline
HOTSPOTS
Hotspots in Kottayam district
Kottayam municipality: Ward numbers 2, 16, 18, 20, 29, 36 and 37
Changanassery municipality: Ward number 33
Gram panchayats: Vijayapuram, Manacaud, Ayakunnam, Panachikkadu, Aymanam, Velloor, Thalayolapprambu and Melukavu
What are the restrictions?
• People should go out only for very urgent situations
• Those moving out should wear masks and practise social distancing
• Vehicles should be used only for extremely urgent situations
• Shops selling essential food commodities, medical shops, fuel pumps, LPG supply centres can function from 11 am to 5 pm
• Restaurants, bakeries and wayside eateries (thattukada) NOT allowed
• Community kitchens can function
• Journeys to and from hotspots for purposes other than medical and other emergencies NOT allowed
• Health, police, revenue, local self-governments, fire and rescue, civil supplies, water authority, and KSEB offices can function with minimum staff.
CONTAINMENT ZONES
Strict restrictions
• People should not go out
• Only two entry/exit points to the zone
• Pass issued by police or revenue officials a must for entry and exit
• Local body should ensure food and medicine supply to the needy through volunteers
• LPG distribution once in a week
• Only emergency services at Primary Health Centres
• No shops or institutions other than Public Distribution shops allowed
• Government departments should fix issues related to the supply of water and electricity.
