Odisha extends weekend shutdown to all urban areas from Apr 24
Modifying its earlier order,the Odisha government on Monday extended the weekend shutdownto all urban areas of the state with effect from April 24 inview of the “unprecedented” surge of COVID-19 cases.
The April 15 order had announced imposition of weekendshutdowns in all urban areas of 10 bordering districts, whilethe fresh order said that similar restrictions will be clampedin towns of the remaining 20 districts.
“In view of the interest of public health andcontainment of spread of Covid-19 in the state, weekendshutdown on Saturday and Sunday shall be imposed in all urbanareas of the state with effect from April 24,” Special ReliefCommissioner (SRC) P K Jena told reporters.
This apart, Jena said that the night curfew, which wasimposed earlier, will also continue.
While the timing of the night curfew in the 10bordering districts is effective from 6 pm to 5 am, that inthe 20 other districts is 9 pm to 5 am.
All the essential services including hospitals,nursing homes, medicine stores, grocery shops and milk boothswill continue functioning as usual during the shutdown, Jenasaid.
He said that eateries on national and state highwayswill remain open but customers can only pick up food parcelsfrom there.
The fresh order also said that marriage and funeralprogramme organisers will have to mandatorily submit the listof participants to local authorities for permission 24 hoursbefore the events. The present cap of 50 attendees at weddingsand 20 at funerals will continue, he said.
The official said that the police and civicauthorities will strictly enforce the measures and action willbe taken against the violators of the steps.
In a related development, though all educationalinstitutions across the state remained closed from Monday, theSchool and Mass Education Department in an order made itmandatory for presence of 50 per cent staff in schools forsmooth continuation of important programmes like admission.
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