Amid the exponentially rising COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra, the state government on Tuesday announced a 15-day long statewide curfew from April 14. The curfew, which comes into effect from 8 pm on Wednesday, will exclude essential services. The state government has allowed the e-commerce delivery of essential goods and services along with granting permission for home delivery of food.
Essential goods and services include groceries, vegetables, fruits, dairy, bakery and confectionery products, and all type of foods. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, in his address via social media, said Section 144 (prohibitory orders) of the Criminal Procedure Code will be in force till the “lockdown-like” restrictions are in place.
The government further made it mandatory for those involved in the delivery process to get vaccinated at the earliest. The delivery will be made at the gate of the society or building and agents are restricted from entering the premises.
The government also imposed a fine of Rs 1,000 on those delivery agents who are found defying the COVID appropriate behaviour and flouting norms. Repeated cases of violation may lead to withdrawal of license to operate.
Here’s what the new guidelines state regarding e-commerce delivery in Maharashtra:
a. E-Commerce will be only allowed for the delivery of essential goods and services.
b. Every one engaged in the activity of home delivery or activity involving interaction with staff engaged in activity of home delivery to get vaccinated at the earliest as per criteria of GOI and if an organization running e-commerce falls in the eligibility criteria of GOI for workplace vaccination it must organise these vaccination camps at the earliest. For the staff not engaged in home delivery or in the activity of requiring interaction with staff engaged in home delivery shall follow the discipline laid down in (5) concerning offices.
c. All the home deliveries to buildings housing more than one family is expected to be restricted to the entrance of the building and internal movement of the delivery should be by dedicated staff of the building. It is also expected that all the interactions of home delivery staff and the building personnel are disciplined and COVID appropriate.
d. Any default on Covid Appropriate Behaviour while performing home delivery shall lead to a fine of Rs. 1000/- . Repeated offence may lead to withdrawal of license to operate till the end of notification of COVID 19 epidemic .
