Chandigarh, April 5 - Haryana Chief Minister, Mr. Manohar Lal urged the people across the State that wherever in the state the migrant workers are residing in rental accommodations, the landlords of that property will not demand rent for a period of one month and if any house/property owner will force labourers or students to vacate the property then a strict legal action would be initiated against him. Regarding the same, the Deputy Commissioners of all districts across the State were directed to take immediate action against the landlords who disobey the orders.

He said that the Union Ministry has issued an order in this regard to the State and Union Territory Governments, which are being followed by the Haryana Government.

The Chief Minister has also directed the concerned authorities to strictly implement these guidelines in the state so that the lockdown can be maintained and the chain of Novel Corona virus infection can be broken. Apart from this, he said that the State Government has also issued guidelines to the Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police and Nodal Officers appointed to contain the spread of Covid-19 and taking various steps to reduce the outbreak of covid-19 and execute the instructions strictly.

As per the instructions issued by the Central Government, the Chief Minister also said that the State Government has ensured adequate arrangements of temporary shelters and availability of food etc to the poor and needy people including migrant labourers stranded due to lockdown measures in their respective areas. He said that the migrant people who have moved out to reach their home towns in other states, can take the nearest shelters arranged by the state government to stay quarantined for minimum period of 14 days after proper screening as per standard health protocols.

He said that the officers concerned have also been instructed to ensure that owners of all establishments be it industries, shops or commercial units disburse salary to their employees on the prescribed date without any deduction in their districts.

The State Government has also instructed the concerned officers of the districts to ensure these instructions in their respective districts.

He said that it has also been directed that in case of violation of any of the above measures, the State Government will take necessary action under Disaster Management Act. He said that the District Magistrates / Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police have issued instructions during lockdown and they will be repersonible for the effective implementation of the instructions.

He said that commercial and private institutions will remain closed during the lockdown, but shops related to food items like grocery, fruit and vegetable shops, milk produce shops, animal feed, fertilizers, seeds and pesticides etc. are allowed to be opened and the district administration has been instructed to allow such shopkeepers to also ensure home delivery at the doorstep of consumers so that the social distancing continues. During this period, the delivery of all essential items such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices through e-commerce will be exempted besides print and electronic media , banks, insurance offices, ATMs, banking operations, banking correspondence and cash management agencies. Apart from this, petrol pumps, LPG, storage outlets of gas agency etc. will be exempted.

The Chief Minister said that during the period of lockdown, farmers should not face any problem, for this, the workers and farm work have been approved while maintaining social distancing. In addition, exemption have been given for private security services, call centers for government activities only, custom hiring centers related to farm machinery, agricultural machinery shops, its spare parts (including its supply chain) to remain open. Shops will also be open for repairing trucks on highways, especially fuel pumps.

Similarly, industrial establishments will remain closed during the lockdown period but manufacturing units of essential commodities including medicine, medical devices, their raw materials and intermediates manufacturing units, which have the necessary permission from the state government and which are in constant need, will be opened. Packaging manufacturing units for foods, medicines, and medical equipment, including manufacturing and packaging units of fertilizers, pesticides and seeds, are allowed to remain opened.

He informed that all transport services will remain suspended during the lockdown period, but transport services will remain operational only for essential goods. Cross-border movement for export of petroleum products and essential commodities for LPG, food production, medical supplies, joint harvesting such as inter-state movement related to harvesting and sowing has been permitted.

Services related to hospitality have been discontinued during this period, but tourists and individuals stranded due to emergencies due to which the hotels, home stays, lodges, and motels will remain open, besides this medical and emergency staff can also use them.

Apart from this, all teaching, training, research, coaching institutes etc. will remain closed. All places of worship will be closed and no religious event will be allowed without any permission. All social political / sports / entertainment academic / cultural religious functions / ceremonies will be restricted.

Similarly, organizations / employers have been instructed to ensure precautions against Covid-19 virus, as well as social distance measures are being advised from time to time by the Department of Health. Any person violating these preventive measures shall be liable for action as per the provisions of Sections 51 to 60 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and Section 188 of the IPC.