Finally, Administration grants permission to open all groceries, fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, bakery & pharmaceutical shops in the Islands

Sales to be regulated by observing mandatory social distancing

Port Blair, Mar 28

      The Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) has been declared a pandemic by the WHO. The A&N Administration is also taking all possible measures to contain the spread of the disease in the Islands. In order to provide all essential commodities to people, the Administration, over the last four days, has been encouraging the door to door supply of essential commodities in terms of the guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs including the measures of social distancing.

     However, the retailers tasked with ensuring door step delivery of essential supplies found it very challenging to cater to the huge volume of demand received from the public for supplies. To address the grievances arising out of this situation, permission to open all shops of essential items have been granted by the Administration. The customers have to mandatorily observe the measures for social distancing while coming to purchase essential items.

 In this connection, the following orders have been passed by the Chief Secretary, A&N Administration with immediate effect:

  The essential goods/commodities would include groceries, fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, drinking water, bakery products and pharmaceuticals. The sale of the same would be duly regulated on the ground by way of strict observance of social distancing measures by the Police.

·       General public would be allowed to access use of ATMs, Post Offices and Banks duly observing the social distancing norms by the Police.

·        The exceptions as applicable in the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs regarding petroleum products will also be hence forth applicable.

       The Chief Secretary has also ordered that the SOP for maintaining supply of essential goods as issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs and other related instructions should be fully complied with, an official order said to this effect said here today.