Odisha Battles Corona: Govt Locks Down Two More Towns

Nabarangpur: In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, the Odisha government has ordered lockdown of two towns in Nabarangpur district.

Nabarangpur Collector Ajit Kumar Mishra said that the order will remain in force in Nabarangpur and Umerkote towns from 7 am to 9 pm on March 23.

He said that the during the lockdown, essential services like hospitals, clinics, medical shops, grocery shops and restaurants (only takeaways and home deliveries) will be exempted from the lockdown. Also, shops selling vegetables, fish, meat, milk and bread will be open. Besides shops selling bakery products will be open, but selling of tea and other beverages on the same premises will be closed.

Other essential services like bus stands, administration, police, health, fire, electricity, water, municipal services, banks, ATMs and filling stations shall remain open along with private establishments that support the above services or are linked to the fight against coronavirus.

The collector, however, said that auto-rickshaws and taxis will be exclusively used to carry patients to hospitals during the lockdown.

Earlier, the state government had also announced lockdowns in the urban localities of Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Balasore, Rourkela, Bhadrak, Puri, Jajpur Road, Jajpur Town and Brajarajnagar.