Bhubaneswar: To facilitate smooth movement of goods and workers and opening of vehicle repair shops, the Odisha government on Tuesday issued a standard operating procedure (SOP).
The SOP, issued by the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) P K Jena, is as follows:
Free movement of labour
—Identity card issued by companies will be accepted as a valid document for the workers.
—Permitted business and shopowners may issue paper documents containing the name and other details of the employee/labourer.
—If any organisation desires to move their workers to their warehouse/worksites, they can transport them in passenger vehicles limiting to 40 per cent of the approved sitting capacity maintaining social distancing norms.
–These vehicles shall move from point to point with no picking of passengers en route. No person shall be allowed to either board or alight en route between the starting and destination points.
—To obtain a pass for passenger vehicles, the concerned business entity/contractor will apply to the district collector/Regional Transport Officer (RTO) or the concerned municipal authority. The twin city commissionerate police may also issue the pass.
—The dhabas (food joints) located on National and State Highways will remain open to provide only the takeaway food. The dhabas will also provide toilet facilities and maintain hygiene and social distancing.
—In case inter-state movement of labourers is required, the contractor shall approach the concerned district collector for necessary permission for transportation of labourers following guidelines of the Home Ministry. The labourers shall be provided on-site accommodation by the contractor.
Vehicle, battery and tyre repair shops
—In non-hotspot districts, multiple vehicle repair, battery and spare parts shops at a single location but not contiguous shall be allowed to open in all days.
—The district collectors and municipal commissioners of these districts will regulate the opening of these shops and the duration of their opening and numbers.
—To prevent congregation and ensure proper social distancing, single locations having more than five contiguous shops shall not be allowed to open till the lockdown period is over.
—The provisions contained herein shall not apply to a containment zone as notified from time to time.
—The district collector, chairman of the District Disaster Management Authority and the municipal commissioner may impose any restriction as may be required to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
—In the districts designated as Red and Orange category, the opening of such shops, their scales and numbers will be decided by the collectors and municipal commissioners taking into account the local conditions. The collectors may be liberal in permission in areas that are beyond the affected/hotspot areas.
