Bhubaneswar: In view of rising number of COVID-19 cases reported from 11 districts in Odisha, the State Government decided to enforce two-day shutdown in those districts every week for a period of one month.
The 48-hour shutdown will be in force in coastal districts as well as Nayagarh and Balangir districts every Saturday and Sunday till June 30, said Odisha Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy on Monday.
The districts that will be under complete shutdown for two days every week included, Ganjam, Puri, Nayagarh, Khurda, Kendrapada, Bhadrak, Balangir, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur and Balasore.
As 95 percent cases are reported from different quarantine centres in these districts, the Government decided to restrict movement of people during weekends to tackle and contain spread of infections in community level, Tripathy said.
As per shutdown restrictions, all the offices, commercial establishments, bus services, local transports and non-essential services that resumed today will remain closed for two days every week.
However, the healthcare services, hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and medicine shops will be excluded from the shutdown norms.
The electronic media identified by district administration and police authorities will be allowed for movement on roads.
However, the Railway and flight services and goods movement will remain unhindered during shutdown period.
The social distancing guidelines will be strictly followed in the sectors offering essential services, Tripathy stressed.
The move came on the first day of Unlock-1 after Centre lifted lockdown in phases in battle against COVID-19 in the country.
