Janata Curfew, Lockdown In Odisha Get Huge Response

Representative Picture

Bhubaneswar: Amid overwhelming nationwide response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for ‘Janata Curfew’ on Sunday and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s announcement for weeklong lockdown in 40 per cent of the state, different parts of Odisha almost shutdown in a bid to contain the possible spread of corona virus.

Unlike normal Sunday mornings, when people go on walks and gather at roadside stalls for a cup of tea, the scene in major urban locations was different: almost no private vehicles and few persons, if any, could be seen on the roads.

In the state capital, where the Chief Minister has announced a lockdown alongside seven other major cities spread over five districts for a week till 9 pm on March 29, police personnel could be seen at certain places. The state government has announced that essential services such as hospitals, grocery, vegetable and medicine stores, ATM counters, banks, petrol pumps, airport, railway stations and certain other government establishments shall remain open.

Reports from Cuttack, Berhampur, Rourkela, Sambalpur, Rourkela and Balasore said most commercial outlets were closed and people were staying at home to practice social distancing.