Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stated that the all-party meeting held on Monday decided to stop functioning of movie theatres, shopping malls, gymnasiums, club, sports complex, swimming pools, amusement parks, bars and foreign liquor shops for a while.

The chief minister added that the all-party meet urged the public to strictly follow the Covid protocol. He also explained the decisions taken in the meeting.

The meeting unanimously decided to avoid all celebrations on the counting day which falls on May 2 and the following days. Only those who have duty, counting agents of parties and media persons need to go to the counting centres. The public are not allowed to visit the counting centres.

Entry to the counting centre will be limited to those who have taken both doses of vaccine and those who have RT-PCR negative certificate obtained within 72 hours. The officials also should follow this rule.

In order to stop transmission, people should avoid crowding and events. Only 75 people were allowed to attend weddings. But this has been reduced to 50 considering the gravity of the situation. Wedding and housewarming ceremonies should be registered in Covid Jagratha portal. Only 20 people can attend funerals.

Strict restrictions are necessary in worship centres. Crowding is likely in mosques in Ramzan season. Only 50 people are allowed to go to mosques. The number should be further reduced in smaller mosques. The collectors can finalise this after discussing with religious leaders, he directed.

Those who go to prayer in mosque should carry a mat with them and use tap water for cleansing. Temples and religious centres should temporarily stop giving food and holy oefferings, the chief minister requested.

All meetings should be convened via online. Only 50 percent staff should be present in government offices on rotation. The health, revenue and police departments and offices related to disaster management should convene every day. Private companies also should limit their staff to minimum number, he added.

Weekend mini lockdown will continue and only essential services will be allowed on these days. Saturday will be holiday for government and quasi-governmental organisations, the chief minister informed.

  PINARAY