MUMBAI, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Spa, salons and beauty parlours will be allowed to function in India's western state of Maharashtra from Sunday with strict adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs) on hygiene and cleanliness after having been closed for three months during the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown.

"Only select services such as haircut, dyeing hair, waxing, threading, etc. Skin related services will not be permitted presently," said the state government notification.

Employees in salons and parlors must use protective gear including gloves, aprons and masks while disposable napkins, towels must be used and non-disposable equipment must be sanitized and sterilized after each service, the notification said.

The salon operators had demanded that they be allowed to do their business or else the government provides them a financial package, said Vijay Wadettiwar, state minister for Relief and Rehabilitation in a video message.

He said as many as 12 barbers have committed suicide in the last three months due to financial losses suffered due to the lockdown.

The opening up of the spa and salons are despite the rising cases of COVID-19 cases in the state, which has 500,000 salon outlets with four to five persons working in each outlet for a population of just over 114 million.

As per the official updates, the most urbanized and industrialized state of India has 62,354 active cases with 6,739 deaths of which Mumbai its political capital has 27,779 active cases with 4,060 deaths so far.

As on Friday morning, India ranked fourth among all countries for the number of confirmed cases, has 186,514 active cases with 14,894 deaths reported. Enditem

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