Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government led by Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday (June 16) announced to extend the COVID lockdown in the state for two more weeks, until July 1, in view of the coronavirus situation. The restrictions will be in force till 5 am of July 1, Chief Secretary S C Mohapatra said. The weekend shutdowns on Saturdays and Sundays will also continue across Odisha till the end of the month.
Odisha to be divided into two categories on COVID positivity rate
The government said that it would divide the state into two categories on the basis of COVID-19 positivity rate. He said that under Category A, there are 17 districts located in the southern and western parts of the state where the positivity rate is 5 per cent or less, while 13 districts in coastal regions feature in Category B.
In the Category-A districts that include Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Kalahandi, Balangir, Ganjam, Kandhamal and Koraput, shops for essential goods will remain open from 6 am to 5 pm. The timing for such shops in districts listed in Category B will be 6 am to 1 pm, he said. Some of the Category-B districts are Khurda, Puri, Cuttack, Kedrapada, Dhenkanal, Balasore and Mayurbhanj.
Meanwhile, Odisha today allowed the sweet shops to open on the condition that these will only provide parcels.
Street vendors selling food items in Category A districts can resume business, too, but on a take-away basis.
Morning walks will be allowed from 6 am to 9 am.
All essential services, industrial and construction activities, and transport of goods will be allowed.
Public bus services will not be available.
Parks in Odisha to remain closed until July 1.
The senior official said district authorities are empowered to impose further restrictions if there is a rise in COVID-19 cases.
Mohapatra also said the borders with Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand will now be opened keeping in view the decline in the number of infections in these states, but restrictions will continue along the borders with West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh.
