COVID-19 Scare: Night Curfew To Be Imposed In 10 Odisha Districts From April 5

Bhubaneswar: Amid the surge in COVID-19 cases, the Odisha government on Saturday decided to impose night curfew in Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Balangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Koraput and Malkangiri from April 5.

All shops, commercial establishments, offices, institutions and movement of traffic, except for essential activities, will remain closed/suspended from 10 pm to 5 am in these districts.

“District Collectors/ Municipal Commissioners shall issue orders for their respective jurisdictions, under appropriate provisions of law, such as under Section 144 of CrPC, and ensure strict compliance. District Collector may impose any further restrictions or allow such activities as felt appropriate considering the local situation,” the notification issued by the office of Special Relief Commissioner said.

Exempted from the restrictions:

• District and Municipal Administration/ Police/ Government Officials on duty

• Doctors, Medical/ Paramedical Staff (Govt. & Private), ambulances and emerge, health staff

• Emergency workers of utilities such as Electricity, Fire Services, Telecom, Water Supply, Railways and Airport, Transport services

• Staff of IT & ITeS companies on production of their ID cards

• Any person, in case of medical or other emergencies

• Owner/staff of chemist shops

• All industrial units .

• All construction activities

• Movement of public transport, private vehicles and taxis (including cabs by aggregators like Ola, Uber, etc.) to and from airports, railway station and bus terminals/ stands/ stops, for facilitating the movement of passengers by air, rail and road.

• Operation of hotels and hospitality units, including their associated offices

• Movement of staff and associated Personnel Dhabas along National and State Highways/ Major roads for takeaway only

• Petrol pumps and CNG stations

• Print and electronic media identified by Cornmissionerate/District Police (with identity cards of respective media houses)

• LPG distribution, home delivery of cooking gas and associated facilities, personnel and vehicular movement

• Home delivery of food, groceries, vegetables, egg, fish, meat and other essential items by restaurants and aggregators such as Zornato, Swiggy, OPOLFED, OMFED, Chilika Fresh etc.

“No pass will be required for the movement of the above category of persons. Valid Travel documents/ authorisations such as airline/railway/bus tickets/boarding passes, with any identity proof will be adequate for the purpose. Identity cards issued by appropriate authorities of the establishments will serve as a pass for effecting the movement of employees of establishments under permitted activities,” the notification said.

It further said that patients and their attendants will be allowed to move with minimal proof of their emergencies. Officers/ staff on duty will be sensitized to appreciate the situation of persons on the road and take suitable action to facilitate movement for emergency needs.

“Any person violating these measures will be liable to be proceeded against in accordance with the provisions of Section 51 to 60 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 and Regulations issued thereunder besides legal action under Section 188 of the IPC and other legal provisions as applicable,” it added.