Madhya Pradesh: Offices to function with 10% capacity amid surge in COVID-19 cases

The order stated that only 10% of employees will attend office, except in units engaged in essential services.

Representational Image (PTI)

Bhopal: Amid the surge in COVID-19 cases, the Madhya Pradesh Government on Tuesday directed the Central government offices, which are not providing essential services, to run with a capacity of 10 per cent employees.

The government has also directed private offices to also run with 10 per cent capacity.

The order stated that only 10 per cent of employees will attend office, except in units engaged in essential services like water and electricity supply, fire brigade, police, health, etc, while the remaining employees will work from home. In the private sector, this rule would apply to all establishments, except IT, mobile phone and BPO firms.

An order issued by the state government also directed that only two passengers could travel in an autorickshaw, taxi or private vehicle, with masks being mandatory for all occupants.

The order completely bans social, political, sports, entertainment, public and religious programmes, and has laid down that vegetable markets operate at a localised level instead of a centralised one. The order said it should be ensured that wholesale grocery agents continue to supply products to retailers.

The objective of these directives is to break the chain of the COVID-19 infection, Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Rajesh Rajora said.

Furthermore, the government has imposed a curfew till April 30 in Indore in which vegetable, milk and grocery shops will be exempted.

People will not be able to buy these essential goods outside their area, action will be taken against them if they do so, said Indore District Collector. Also, under Section 151, they will be arrested and sent to temporary jail.

The district collector also informed that only mobile vegetable vendors will be allowed and the vegetable markets will be closed temporarily.

Passengers coming to other cities by bus, airport, or railway will be exempted from this curfew.People will also be allowed to go to the nearest vaccination centre.

Meanwhile, the state reported 12,727 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, taking the overall tally to 4,33,704.

The COVID-19 situation in India continues to deteriorate amid the second wave of coronavirus infections. For the past few days, the country has been reporting in excess of two lakh coronavirus infections and over 1,000 related deaths on a daily basis.