BHUBANESWAR: As Covid-19 situation continues to worsen at an alarming pace in the State, Odisha government on Sunday announced a 14-day lockdown to break the chain of transmission. The lockdown will be in force across the State from May 5 to 19.Announcing the decision, Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra, however, said the weekend shutdowns will continue in all urban areas of the State starting from 6 pm on Fridays to 5 am of Mondays.
During the lockdown period, vendors and shops dealing with food and essential items, vegetables, fish, meat, eggs and milk are allowed to operate from 6 am to 12 noon. Such shops will have a minimum 30 feet distance and local authorities will demarcate the areas. However, such relaxation will be permitted on week days only and not during the shutdown on Saturdays and Sundays.
Weekly and daily haats will remain closed during the lockdown period.The new guidelines issued by the government maintained that the collectors and municipal commissioners will make all efforts to disperse the vegetable vendors in such a manner that no person is required to travel more than 500 metre for purchase of vegetables. Restaurants and roadside dhabas will be allowed for take away and home delivery only. Shops selling educational books for students will be allowed.
The Chief Secretary said all facilities in the supply chain of essential goods whether involved in manufacturing, wholesale or retail of such goods will be allowed to function with strict adherence to social distancing norms. Public transport by buses, inter-state and intra-state will remain suspended till May 19, he said.
Vaccination will continue at places notified by the Health department during the period subject to availability. Eligible persons for vaccination will be allowed to travel to the Covid vaccination centres in their vehicles, taxis or auto-rickshaws by following safety guidelines. The Chief Secretary said the district collectors and municipal commissioners may facilitate alternative ways to ensure that such persons smoothly travel to and from the vaccine centres.
All agricultural and related activities will be allowed during the period. Sowing, nursery and land preparation, irrigation, plantation, harvesting, threshing, processing and packing will be allowed, Mahapatra said.Besides, the Chief Secretary said all industries operating in urban and rural areas, brick kilns in rural areas, workshops of Indian Railways and construction activities in both government and private sectors will be allowed.
He maintained that the lockdown and shutdown will not be applicable to election-related work such as movement of poll personnel from their place of residence to place of training, disbursal, polling station and back, movement of election materials and all election related activities for by-election to Pipili Assembly constituency scheduled on May 16.
The Chief Secretary announced that all healthcare services including AYUSH-like hospitals, nursing homes, clinics and telemedicine facilities will be functional during the period. Inter and intra-state movement, including by air, of all medical and veterinary personnel, scientists, nurses, para medical staff, laboratory technicians, midwives and other hospital support services like ambulances will be allowed during the period.
