Select industries to resume activities

NEW DELHI/ISLAMABAD • India will allow industries located in the countryside to reopen next week and resume farm activities to reduce the pain for millions of people hit by a lengthy shutdown in its coronavirus battle, the government said yesterday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered the country to keep indoors for 19 more days after a strict three-week lockdown, saying it was critical to save lives.

But he said he felt the pain of the poor and yesterday the Home Ministry released guidelines allowing limited resumption of commerce and industry in the hinterland, which is less affected by the pandemic.

"To mitigate hardship to the public, select additional activities have been allowed, which will come into effect from April 20," it said.

Millions of people have been thrown out of work across South Asia since the lockdowns began last month, and growing anger in some areas was reflected in the commercial capital of Mumbai on Tuesday when hundreds mobbed a train station, demanding transport home.

Pakistan, which also announced a two-week extension to its shutdown, said it would reopen construction activity which, after agriculture, provides a lifeline for the largest number of its people.

Export industries, such as the garment industry, will also be permitted to begin production, said Industries Minister Hammad Azhar, adding that the government had made an assessment of the sectors least vulnerable to infection.

"The low-risk industries, meaning where there is less danger of the epidemic's spread as compared to others, they were identified," he said.

As of yesterday, India has had 11,555 infections, a jump of 68 from the previous day. These include 396 deaths. Pakistan's caseload is 5,988, including 107 deaths.

REUTERS