The government is planning to loosen the prohibitory order that has been in place for nearly 45 days. The Home Ministry is at present preparing to change the modality of the prohibitory order for that purpose.
The Home Ministry will be preparing the new modality of the prohibitory order in consultation with other concerned ministries, COVID-19 Crisis Management Centre and the District Administration Offices of all 77 districts.
Spokesperson of the Home Ministry, Janak Raj Dahal, mentioned that the prohibitory order will be eased but schools, public transportation, party palaces, cinema halls, temples, among others, where large crowds could gather will not be allowed to open.
He also mentioned that the time allowed for shops selling food items top stay open will also be extended. Dahal also informed that since it is the plantation season there will be some relaxation in the order in the agriculture sector. He added that transportation of goods meant for development works will also be allowed to operate.
Dahal said that the number of branches that banks are allowed to open will also be increased and the time they are allowed to stay open will also be extended. Moreover, other financial institutions will also be allowed to open after determining the number of branches that will be allowed to open and the time they will be allowed to carry out their business.
As the number of people being infected with the coronavirus has been on the decline for the past few days the government is planning to gradually ease the prohibitory order that has been imposed to curb the spread of the second wave of COVID-19.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has stated that it has been keeping track of the effect of the prohibitory orders that have been imposed across the country and also the infection rate and based on the findings the government will take further decisions. Spokesperson of the Home Ministry Janak Raj Dahal, who is also a joint secretary, informed that the ministry is collecting reports from the districts.
Dahal mentioned that till date there was a ‘lockdown’ but now the government is planning for a ‘loosedown’ based on the reports submitted from across the country. He stated that there will now definitely be some easing in the prohibitory order. He further added that since the recovery rate at the moment is double that of those being infected and since the number of deaths has also been declining the government is planning to ease the prohibitory order.
Since the authority to either impose or loosen the prohibitory order has been assigned to the chief district officers all further steps will be taken in coordination and supervision of the Home Ministry, Dahal said.
Spokesperson Dahal also mentioned that the situation the country is facing right now is because the lockdown imposed during the first wave was lifted at once. He said that the government will not repeat that mistake and decisions will be taken in a gradual manner. Dahal mentioned that the government will ease the prohibitory order based on the situation and need.
However, he mentioned that activities or businesses which see big gatherings like meetings, conferences, seminars and cinema halls will still be restricted for the time being. Similarly, dance bars, party palaces, shopping malls, swimming pools and beauty parlours, among others will also not be allowed to open immediately.
Dahal said that since it is the agricultural season now the agriculture sector will be opened up gradually. He also said that the government will loosen the order for developmental work too. However, he added that necessary health safety protocols will have to be strictly adhered to.
