Odisha Stays Home For 48 Hours To Break COVID Infection Chain; Violators Warned Of Strict Action

Bhubaneswar: The weekend shutdown in all urban areas of Odisha began at 6 am on Saturday after an hour of relaxation from 5 am for fitness activities.

According to police sources, 25 checkpoints in Cuttack and 43 in Bhubaneswar have been set up with 12 and 20 platoons of forces respectively for enforcing the shutdown guidelines.

A total of 250 officers (100 officers in Cuttack, 150 in Bhubaneswar) are supervising the overall arrangements.

Commissioner of Police Saumendra Priyadarshi has warned violators in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack of strict action.

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation has issued a helpline number 1929 on which people can contact for shifting the patients and arranging ambulance or taxis during this period.

During the weekend shutdown, all medical establishments including hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and medicine stores, will remain open and movement of ambulances and all medical personnel will be allowed.

The other exemptions are as follows:

• Movement of the district and municipal administration/police/fire services

• Central and state government officials on emergency duty

• Telecom services

• Petrol pumps

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

• Print and Electronic Media identified by Commissionerate/District Police

• Water Supply, sanitation and sewerage workers

• Electricity supply and distribution

• Movement of goods and goods carriers, whether loaded or unloaded

• Industrial establishments, factories and construction activities

• Agriculture, horticulture, fisheries, animal husbandry, veterinary services and allied activities, including procurement at mandis.

• Service sector including IT/ITes, Hotel and Hospitality units, including the movement of staff and associated personnel.

• Movement of rail and air traffic

• Road transport on highways, road movement of transiting vehicles

• Movement of public transport, private vehicles and taxis to and from airports, railway stations and bus terminal/stops/stands for facilitating the movement of passengers by air, rail and road.

• Marriages and funerals with permission of the local authority

• ATMs and critical financial institutions like RBI, Clearing Houses

• Operations of airports, railways stations, bus terminals and their associated movement of personnel and activities

• Home delivery of food, groceries, vegetables, and essential items, restaurants through aggregators like Zomato and Swiggy.

• Dhabas along national and state highways/major roads for takeaway only

• Milk boot. and related activities

• Food and grocery stores such as Reliance Fresh, Big Bazaar, Chilika Fresh, and others for home delivery only

• Newspaper hawkers between 5 am and 8 am only.

In a video message, Special Relief Commissioner Pradeep Jena on Friday said that one-hour relaxation from 5 am to 6 am will be allowed for fitness activities like morning walk, jogging, and cycling.

Also Read: Know Timing Of Morning Walk & Other Activities During Weekend Shutdown In Odisha

The weekend shutdown is being imposed to break the COVID-19 infection chain by limiting the movement of people.

Meanwhile, Odisha saw a record spike of 6,647 new cases and eight deaths in the last 24 hours.

Also Read: Record COVID Spike In Odisha: 1189 New Infections From Khurda