West Jaiñtia Hills Curfew | Taxis, limestone and boulder mining allowed

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMay 3, 2020

In view of the prevailing situation concerning COVID -19 and incompliance with the guidelines of the Government of Meghalaya, the District Magistrate, West Jaintia Hills in an order issued on 3rd May, 2020 has issued prohibitory order in the entire of West Jaintia Hills District with effect from 6.00 AM of 4th May 2020 until further Orders.

The District Magistrate in an order issued prohibits:

• Assembly or gathering of 4 (four) or more persons in public area and premises beyond the individual households.
• Operation of public and private transport.
• Operation of all markets places, Malls, Restaurants, Tea stalls and Hospitality Services.
• Religious congregations.
• Spitting in Public Places.
• Movement of person within the District.
• Inter-District movement of persons.
• Inter-state movement or persons.
• Operation of Tourist Spots.
• Operation of Gyms and Playground.
• Indulging in or resorting to the of poisoning and use of dynamite of rivers, streams or any other water bodies with the explicit or implicit intention to cause wide spread/large scale destruction of aquatic life within the District.

The District Magistrate has informed that the order will not be applicable to:

• Out-Patient Departments (OPDs) and Medical Clinics with Social Distancing norms and other safety precautions.
• Security Forces,  
• Medical Teams on duty,
• Wholesale and retail pharmacies,
• Police and Armed Forces
• Fire& Emergency Service, 
• MeECL and Power grid,
• Food & Civil Supplies Department and FCI,
  Jowai Municipal Board,
• Telecom, Communications &IT Services and Common Service Centre (CSC),
• Print and Electronic Media,
• Government officials on Duty,
• Banks & Treasuries,
• PHE, AH & Veterinary, Agriculture & Horticulture, C&RD,
• Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB),
• The DM has further stated that all Fair Price Shops under NFSA and NON-NFSA will open every day from 4th May from 9.00 am to 5.00 Pm.
• Movement of persons within the District for the activities permitted with CAR PASS and with prior due intimation to the Chief Executive Officer, Jowal Municipal Board Additional Deputy Commissioner, incharge Amlarem (Civil) Sub-Division, Amlarem and Block Development Officers  C&RD Block Thadlaskein and Laskein Blocks.

• Inter-District movement of people with Inter District TRANSIT PASS and due intimation to Deputy Commissioner, West Jaintia Hills District as per Governments letter No. POL.75/2020/Pt.III/1, Dt. 30.04.2020,
• Inter-State movement of people with Inter-State TRANSIT PASS issued by the Deputy Commissioner, West Jaintia District as per Governments Order No. POL.81/2020/Pt.II/36, Dt. 1st May, 2020
• Workshops for maintenance of Vehicles within Jowai Municipal area identified by the District Transport, Jowai.

Commercial and Private establishment as listed below:

• Shops dealing  in essential  goods and other standalone (single shop) in residential areas as per Government of Meghalaya order identified by Headmen of concerned localities will shall open for wholesale on Tuesday and Friday from 9.00 AM to 5.00 PM and Retail on Wednesday and Saturday from 9.00AM to 5.00 PM.
• Courier services for essential goods, E-Commerce operations in Essential Goods as per Government Order.
• Services provided by self-employed persons, eg. Electrician, IT repairs, Plumbers, Motor
  Mechanics and carpenters within individual household or workshop,
• Workshop for repair of trucks on highways and maintenance of vehicles in rural areas identified by Headman of concerned localities.
• Hardware stores identified by Headmen of concerned localities for providing items like CGI, Sheets, Cement etc. that are used for construction including transportation of the same are allowed to operate on Wednesday and Saturday from 9.00 AM to 5.00 PM.
• Electrical Shops identified by the Headman of concerned localities shall open on Tuesday and Friday from 9.00 am to 5.00 Pm
• Industries and Industrial Establishment both Government and Private as listed:
• Food processing industries in rural areas ie, outside the limits of Municipal Corporations and Municipalities including rice mills and mustard oil processing.
• Bricks Kilns in rural areas i.e, outside the limits of Municipal Corporations and Municipalities,
• Industrial Units as identified by General Manager, District Commerce & Industries Centre,
• All agriculture allied sectors activities like farming operations including livestock farming, Poultry, Hatcheries, collection, processing and distribution of milk and milk products, Mandis by APMC, procurement and marketing of agricultural produce, cold storage and warehouses. Manufacturing packaging and distribution of agriculture inputs, seed, animal feed and fodder, movement of harvesting and sowing related machines/implements as per Government Advisories. 
• Operation of Tea industry including plantation with maximum 50% of workforce for production, processing, packing and marketing,
• Transportation of all agricultural products within the District with Passes issued by Additional Deputy Commissioner, incharge Amlarem (Civil) Sub-division, Block Development Officers, C&RD Blocks Thadlaskein and Laskein.
• Veterinary Hospitals, Dispensaries, Clinics, sale and supply of medicine and Vaccines shall remain open,
• MNREGA works are allowed with strict implementation of Social Distancing and wearing of face masks, priority to be given to irrigation and water conservation works as per detail guidelines issued by C&RD Department.

Construction Activities:

Construction of roads, irrigation projects, buildings and all kinds of industrial all kinds of projects including MSMEs in rural areas ie. outside the limits of Municipal corporations and municipalities  and all kinds of projects in industrial estates  to be identified by Deputy Commissioner, West Jaintia Hills District which are urgent in nature in consultation with the concerned works Department as per SOP for construction work,

Quarrying of  chips, aggregates and sand extracted from legal sources (under MMMCR 2016) and crushed in approved stone crusher unit are allowed for transportation with P’ASSES to be issued by the Divisional Forest Officer (Territorial) West Jaintia Jowai Hills District.

Construction activities in all Urban Areas in situ construction (where workers are available from within the locality and no workers are required to be brought from outside) and renewable energy Project.

The above permission  for commencement of operation is subject to adherence to guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India  to be checked and certified by the Deputy Commissioner , West Jaintia Hills, is has been informed that all those who wish to commence construction or start quarrying activities should submit an undertaking to the Deputy Commissioner confirming adherence to the guidelines of MHA, Government of India and protocols issued by the Health and Family welfare Department, Government of Meghalaya before the commencement of operations.

Manufacturing, transportation and marketing of Agriculture and Horticulture Tools and implements e.g Spade, Dao, Basket, Watering Can, Khurpi, Spade Handle, Fork identified by District Agriculture Officer, Jowai are allowed,

Selling of Dry Fish or processed fish including tungtap and smoke fish identified by Headmen are allowed to open. Wholesale on Tuesday and Friday from 9.00 AM to 5.00 PM and Retail on Wednesday and Saturday from 9.00 AM to 5.00 PM.

Selling of Package drinking water and juices and functioning of shop that sell, repair and service Mobile Phone, Computer, Accessories as well as Mobile phone recharging centres identified by respective Headmen are allowed,

All Medical Officers and Staff of Health Department, Government of Meghalaya with PASSES issued by DMHO , Jowai,

All officers and Staff of the Department of Government working with Corona Care Centres and Quarantine facilities, Government Employees of District Heads and other Essential Officers working on COVID-19 matters with PASSES issued by the District Heads of Officers.

Movement of Vehicles carrying fodder and animal products with PASSES issued by the District AH & Movement of Vehicles carrying fertilizer and Power Tillers with PASSES issued by the District.

Movement of Water Tanker with PASSES issued by the Executive Engineer, PHE, Electrical Division.
Movement of Vehicles within the District carrying Areca Nuts, Beetle Leaves and Broom Sticks with PASSES issued by the Additional Deputy Commissioner, incharge Amlarem (Civil) Sub-Division, Amlarem and Block Development Officers C&RD Block Thadlaskein and Laskein Block.

Vehicles carrying Essential Commodities, LPG Cylinders, Security Forces, and Medical Equipment’s along the National Highway, However Drivers and attendants of the vehicle shall be subjected to medical screening as per laid protocol.

Mining of limestone and boulder by lease holders for domestic sale within the State or the Country, export outside the country is not permitted until further order.

The above permission for commencement of operations is subject to adherence to guidelines of MHA to be checked and certified by Deputy Commissioner, West Jaintia Hills District. All those who wish to commence industrial/mining should submit an undertaking to the Deputy Commissioner confirming adherence to guidelines of Ministry of Home Affairs and protocols issued by Health and Family Welfare Department, Government of Meghalaya before the commencement of operations.

Deputy Commissioner, West Jaintia Hills District shall ensure strict compliance to these guidelines through periodic inspection and submit reports to the concerned department and ensure SOPs for Social Distancing.

Taxis allowed to ply:

25 % of public transport is allowed to operate within the District on rotation basis as identified by the District Transport Officer. West Jaintia Hills District, Jowai and shall utilize only 50 % seating capacity as schedule:

• Monday & Thursday:  series of ML04 & ML04A.
• Tuesday & Friday: series of ML 04B and series other than ML 04B (ie. ML. 05, ML. 06 etc).
• Wednesday & Saturday: Series of  ML04 C & MLO4D.

Lay-bye Market at lalong is allowed to open on Tuesday and Friday from 9.00 AM to 5.00 PM.

The Order will not affect the arrangement made for identified Local Retailers/ Groceries Shops which on Wednesday and Saturday of the week from 9.00 AM to 5.00 PM and identified Wholesalers on Tuesday and Friday of the week from 9.00 AM to 5,00 PM.