"Kerala Making Way Back To Life": State vs Centre Over Easing Of Curbs

Kerala has allowed private vehicles on an odd-even basis and dine-in services at hotels from today.

Kerala is making its way back into life, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan tweeted today after the central government, in a letter last night, took strong objection to relaxations in parts of the state from today, including the reopening of restaurants and bookshops, amid the nationwide coronavirus lockdown.

"From today on, some areas will see relaxations. We are not past the danger and must remain cautious. The lockdown must have made some of our life skills rusty; take extra precaution. Wash hands. Wear masks. Social Distancing," the Kerala Chief Minister tweeted.  
The state's decisions are a violation of the coronavirus lockdown, the home ministry said in its letter to Kerala.

The Kerala government had announced the relaxation of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in two zones, allowing private vehicles on an odd-even basis and dine-in services at hotels from Monday.

Local workshops, barber shops, two passengers in the backseat of cars and two-wheelers would also be allowed with one rider.

"This amounts to dilution of guidelines issued by the home ministry and violation of the order dated April 15 issued under the Disaster Management Act 2005. I would urge you to rectify the guidelines of the Kerala government in line with the consolidated revised guidelines of 15th and 16th April without any dilution and to ensure strict compliance of lockdown measures," said the letter from Ajay Bhalla, Home Secretary to Kerala Chief Secretary Tom Jose.

State Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran denied there was dilution of the lockdown guidelines. "We have given relaxations in accordancewith the centre''s guidelines. I think there is some  misunderstanding, based on which the centre has sought an explanation. Once we give an explanation, it will all be sorted out. The Centre and the state have the same stand with regard to fight the pandemic. There is no contradiction in the stand taken. It's just a misunderstanding. We will clear it," Mr Surendran told reporters.

The Left government had colour-coded 14 districts of the state into four zones-- Red, Green, Orange-A and Orange-B, for containing the COVID-19 pandemic.

The red zone includes the worst-hit districts of Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode and Malappuram.  In this zone, a complete lockdown will be in place until May 3. Orange-A zone comprises Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam and Kollam.

It is in the orange-B zones - Alappuzha, Thiruvananthapuram, Palakkad, Thrissur and Wayanad - where curbs are easing from today. However, across the state, the health ministry has identified 88 hotspots within the districts and these will have the same restrictions as the red zones.

Kottayam and Idukki are in the green zone, in which restrictions are to be eased from today. The administration is focusing on sanitizing the two districts today, and plans to allow establishments to open from tomorrow.

All education institutions, cinema halls, shopping malls, public parks, bars, places of worship will remain closed in all zones of the state.

Kerala said it would allow, in some parts, cars with two passengers besides the driver and in case of a two-wheeler, only the driver and a pillion rider if it is a family member.

On dine-in services, a government order said it is allowed at hotels and restaurants until 7 pm in green and orange-B zones from Monday and in the orange-A zone from Friday.

Take-away counters could function until 8 pm said the Kerala government.

Kerala on Sunday reported two positive coronavirus cases, which takes the total number to 401.