Gujarat on Tuesday reported 362 new Covid-19 cases and 24 deaths, a health department official told PTI. The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the state has gone up to 8,903, according to the health ministry update on Wednesday.
With 267 new cases, Ahmedabad district’s overall tally mounted to 6,353 and the number of fatalities to 421, the official said. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation is now planning to ease the complete lockdown from 15 May.
On 6 May, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) had announced it would shut all shops in the city — except those selling milk and medicine — till 15 May.
The AMC on Tuesday said that grocery shops, vegetable and fruit vendors will will remain open from 8 am till 3 pm and no transaction will be done beyond these fixed hours, The Indian Express reported. The direction issued by the AMC also said that it is mandatory to maintain social distancing and no person from containment zones should be working in these stores, the report added.
Rajiv Gupta, additional chief secretary (ACS), forest and environment, who is also in charge of Covid management in Ahmedabad, said grocery shop owners and vegetable and fruit vendors will need a health card issued by the AMC to operate, The Times of India said. Gupta, the report added, said that vendors will only be allowed to operate in the areas mentioned in their health cards. The cards will have to be renewed after every seven days.
Vendors and shop keepers will also have to compulsorily wear face mask, hand gloves, and use hand sanitisers, PTI quoted from a press release.
Gupta advised the use of digital payment methods but said that cash transactions are also permissible. In case of cash payment, Ahmedabad Mirror reported, the money should be kept in a tray to avoid any contact. Payment for online shopping will mandatorily be made digital, the report added.
The time for cashless home delivery will be between 10 am and 5 pm, the release said. The AMC had on Monday decided to ban the cash-on-delivery option for grocery and food items to homes after May 15, PTI added.
(With PTI inputs)