Bhubaneswar, April 15: The Odisha Government on Thursday annouced that night curfew will be clamped all over the State while weekend shutdown will be enforced in 10 districts bordering Chhattisgarh in view of the worsening Covid-19 situation in the State.
“Weekend shutdown will be imposed in urban areas of Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Balangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Koraput, and Malkangiri districts from coming Saturday. Night curfew in these areas will be extended from 9 PM to 5 AM to 6 PM to 5 AM,” said Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra.
Besides, Mohapatra said, “Night curfew will be imposed in urban areas of all the other 20 districts including Bhubaneswar and Cuttack from 9 PM to 5 AM from April 16.”
The Government also announced that religious, social, cultural, academic, political gatherings and processions will not be allowed until further orders, said Mohapatra.
Government offices will function with 50% capacity and private offices have been asked to work with minimum manpower.
While inter-State bus operations will be suspended from April 19, intra-state bus operations will continue with sitting capacity.
The Chief Secretary further informed that two passengers besides the driver will be allowed in auto richshaws and taxis.
He also said that jatras/operas will be allowed with 1,000 people with strict adherence to six feet social distancing and wearing of masks.
Similarly, Higher Education institutions will be closed from April 19 while schools and coaching institutes have been directed to conduct offline classes.
The Government will issue separate guidelines for medical and technical colleges soon.
Meanwhile, the State Government reappointed 21 senior IAS officers as Covid-19 observers to monitor and review the pandemic situation in the districts allotted to them on a day-to-day basis.
