Pisciculture, aqua farmers in Telangana, AP exempted from lockdown

Hyderabad: In what could be pleasant news for tens and thousands of Pisciculture and Aquaculture farmers in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, the Centre on Saturday, exempted fishing and marine and aqua industries from the lockdown.

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, G Kishan Reddy said that the processes and operations associated with these industries, including feeding, maintenance, harvesting, sales, marketing etc have been exempted.

However, at the same time, it is the responsibility of heads of institutions to ensure the application of proper safety protocols and social distancing.

The district administrations concerned should ensure strict enforcement of these guidelines, he said. That apart, the ministry has once again written to states and UTs and directed them to ensure police security as needed to doctors and medical staff, when they go to hospitals for screening, and where patients are quarantined.

He said that the status of essential commodities and supplies is satisfactory and under control. Also, the NCC, NSS and Civil Defence volunteers have come forward to meet this challenge, he said.

Kishan Reddy said that the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) have also made great efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19. The CAPFs personnel are engaged from setting up quarantine camps in their areas to providing food and dry rations to stranded workers in many parts of the country.