CHENNAI: The state government on Sunday permitted tea shops, sweet shops and offices of construction companies to function in 27 districts, including Chennai, where new relaxations in lockdown norms will take effect from Monday.
E-seva centres, where people can obtain official certificates for various government services, can also function from Monday in these districts.
Tea shops are being permitted to function from 6am to to 5pm from Monday, chief minister M K Stalin said.
Only parcel services will be allowed and people are not permitted to stand near the shops and consume the brew.
The state government’s decision announced on Friday to allow reopening of state-owned Tasmac liquor outlets drew sharp criticism from political parties.
Social media was abuzz with people questioning the rationale behind opening Tasmac outlets and keeping tea shops shut.
While opposition parties including the AIADMK and the PMK condemned the reopening of liquor shops, BJP organised state-wide protests on Sunday.
Sweet shops, construction company offices allowed to open With hotels and bakeries having already been allowed to function, the state government has now permitted shops selling sweets and savouries to open from 6am to 2pm.
“The agencies responsible for running e-seva centres such as TACVT, primary agriculture cooperative societies, VPRC and fisheries department should ensure that the corona appropriate behaviour is followed at these centres as per SOP,” the state IT department said in a statement.
While construction activities have already been permitted, the offices of the construction firms had remained closed.
This impacted disbursement of salaries and making payments for purchasing construction materials.
Hence from Monday, the offices of construction companies too can function with 50% employees, the statement said.
These relaxations will not apply in 11 districts – seven western and four in the delta region, which continue to report high Covid numbers.