Chief Secretary Orders Opening of all Groceries, Fruits, Vegetables, Meat, Fish, Bakery & Pharmaceutical Shops in the Isles
Port Blair, March 28: After the announced lockdown by the Hon’ble Prime Minister to contain spread of COVID-19 in the nation, the Ministry of Home Affairs had issued a Standard Operation Procedure (SPO) to be observed during the lockdown period. However the Andaman & Nicobar Administration through its self-designed SOP had closed all shops and establishments including essential commodities and pharmacy. This had created unnecessary commotion in the islands and untoward incidents were reported wherein people were even finding it difficult to go to hospitals during emergency.
Andaman Chronicle while trying to appeal to the Andaman & Nicobar Administration not to alter the SOP of the Ministry had to face the heat. Yet being the responsibility of the media especially during such crisis, Andaman Chronicle decided to fight till the end and marked reports on ground realities in the islands, to the Prime Minister’s Office and others concerned through our twitter account @AndamanNews. Meanwhile other organisations and political parties too had raised objections, suggesting the Chief Secretary to consult the stakeholders before experimenting on the islanders.
Meanwhile a Writ Petition was also filed before the Hon’ble High Court of Calcutta today 28th March 2020. Based on the Writ Petition, the Hon’ble Court had ordered forming a Monitoring Committee headed by the District Judge, with the Judicial Secretary, the Superintendent of Police, South Andaman and the President of the Bar Association, Port Blair, as members, to not only ensure access to justice for all but also to act on behalf of the court and report on the ground realities.
The Hon’ble Court had also directed the Union of India and the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands through the Chief Secretary to respond immediately by sending reports over email to the Registrar General of this Court to reach the Registrar General by 30th March, 2020 through emails.
Experiencing the heat from different corners of the Islands, and the directions of the Hon’ble High Court the Chief Secretary, A&N Administration, Chetan Sanghi today ordered opening of all shops of essential items. The customers have been asked 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.