Hyderabad: Several restrictions and exemptions were put in place by the Telangana government after it imposed a 10-day lockdown, starting May 12.
An emergency cabinet meeting convened by chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao took the decision following suggestions from various sections of people in view of the intensity of the pandemic. The lockdown would be in force from May 12 to May 22.
However, there would be relaxation in the lockdown for four hours every day – from 6 am to 10 am to enable the people to buy essential commodities.
“All the shops and business establishments would be open during this four-hour period. For the remaining 20 hours, the lockdown would be strictly implemented. Only essential services would be allowed during the lockdown,” an official release from the chief minister’s office said.
The cabinet, however, decided to give exemption to certain activities from lockdown. Works related to agriculture production and allied sectors and agriculture machinery, maintenance of rice mills and transport related to rice; transportation of rice to Food Corporation of India (FCI) warehouses; fertiliser and seed shops and seed making units shall continue during the lockdown period.
The cabinet also decided to continue paddy procurement without any hurdles during the lockdown period, in the interests of farmers.
