Marine Industry and its workers are exempted from lockdown restrictions

Government has exempted the operations of the fishing or marine aquaculture industry, including harvesting, sale and marketing activities, from the purview of the ongoing nationwide lockdown. In a communication to the Chief Secretaries of all states and Union territories, the Union Home Ministry said the decision has been taken by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla in his capacity as chairperson of the National Executive Committee constituted under the Disaster Management Act.

Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued 5th addendum to the consolidated guidelines to all Ministries/Departments regarding the nationwide lockdown to fight COVID-19. The communication said Operations of the fishing (marine) or aquaculture industry, including feeding and maintenance, harvesting, processing, packaging, cold chain, sale and marketing; hatcheries, feed plants, commercial aquaria, movement of fish or shrimp and fish products, fish seed or feed and workers for all these activities were exempted from the lockdown.

However, the Home Ministry said, as specified in the lockdown measures, social distancing and proper hygiene practices must be ensured and it will be the responsibility of the head of the organisation or the establishment to ensure compliance of such norms. It said, the district authorities will ensure strict enforcement.

The government, earlier in its communication on March 24, 2020, said "The COVID-19 epidemic has affected many countries and the World Health Organisation has declared it 'Pandemic'." It added, "Government of India (GOI) has been taking several proactive preventive and mitigating measures starting with the progressive tightening of international travel, issue of advisories for the members of the public, setting up quarantine facilities, contact tracing of persons infected by the virus and various social distancing measures. Several advisories have been issued to States and Union Territories (UTs) for taking necessary measures to contain the spread of this virus. The government have temporarily suspended metro and rail services as well as domestic air traffic."