The cabinet gave its nod to the extension of thelockdown till May 17 and issued new guidelines to be followedduring the third phase.
While ruling out any relaxation in rules in thecoronavirus containment zones, the Cabinet meeting chaired byChief Minister K Palaniswami said it permitted certainactivities in the non-containment zones.
They include: Resumption of construction activity,road works, opening of SEZs, export units with minimum of 20employees or 25 per cent of staff strength.
IT or ITES firms can function with minimum of 20employees or 10 per cent staff strength, the new guidelinessaid.
Also, grocery shops selling essential commodities canfunction between 6 am and 5 pm and restaurants (only fortakeaways) between 6 am and 9 pm.
The functioning of saloons or beauty parlours isprohibited while service providers such as plumbers,electricians, AC mechanics and tailors can work. These comewith a rider - all these activities are permitted in areasoutside the containment zones.
Regarding non-containment zones in rest of Tamil Nadu,in the zones falling under municipal corporations andmunicipalities, the Cabinet has permitted re-opening of allfactories including textile mills with 50 per cent of staffstrength (minimum of 20 employees).
In town panchayats with over 15,000 population, thetextile mills can function with 50 per cent staff strengthafter obtaining clearance from the district Collectors.
SEZ, EOU, industrial estates / clusters in rural andurban areas can work with 50 per cent staff strength. Nopermission has been granted to textile mills located inindustrial estates ofurban areas.
Collectors have been authorised to decide onre-opening of export units in urban areas with 50 per centstaff strength and units of designing and production ofsamples for exporting garment and leather products with 30 percent staff strength.
The Cabinet permitted re-opening of hardwaremanufacturing firms with 50 per cent staff strength besidesspinning mills in rural areas with an equal staff strength.
Shops, selling materials for infrastructure industryand repair shops for mobile phones and computers, can be keptopen from 9 am to 5 pm.
The first phase lockdown in India was from March 25 toApril 14. The second phase commenced on April 15 and would endtomorrow. The third phase lockdown is from May 4 to 17.
Chennai is among the Red Zones owing to the highnumber of COVID-19 cases and tight restrictions are in place.
Chennai has 1,081 cases (till Friday) and the stateaccounts for about 198 containment zones and 5 clusters havealso been identified in the city. COR VGN SS BNWELCOME BNWELCOME