Bhubaneswar : The Odisha government today extended partial lockdown till August 1 with more relaxations, night curfew in the entire state and weekend shut down in ten districts having high positivity cases In a major decision, the government allowed the bus services in the entire state with no time limit, indoor and outdoor film shooting and opening of the beauty parlour, saloon, spa and gym in the state with proper covid appropriate behaviour.
Briefing newsmen, state Chief Secretary S C Mohapatra said the state government had earlier divided the districts into two categories A and on the basis of the prevailing test positivity rate(TPR). While 20 districts, mostly from western Odisha and Southern Odisha were put under category A districts and ten districts mostly from coastal Odisha and northern Odisha were declared as category B districts. Mr Mohapatra said the government decided to keep 10 districts under category B as these districts together accounted for 70 to 80 per cent of daily covid cases in the state.
Two districtskhordha and Cuttack, he said have accounted for 40 per cent of the total cases. He said the covid situation is still not under full control in the state as the daily covid load which was about 3000 in the first week of July has come down to 2000 cases. The test positivity rate which was 5 per cent has now come down 3 per cent. The Chief Secretary, however, said the government this time has extended relaxation time during the lockdown in both category A and category B districts. In category A districts, the shops will be open from 6 AM to 8 PM on all the days while in category B districts the shops would be open from 6 AM to 5 PM from Monday to Friday and the weekend shutdown will continue in the category B districts.
The night curfew which was imposed from 6 PM to 6 AM in the entire state will be now in force from 8 PM to 6 AM in category A districts and 6 PM to 6 AM in category B districts. The state government, the Chief Secretary said, has banned inter-state bus services. Taxi, Auto rickshaws and other passenger vehicles have been allowed to operate in the state with only two passengers. No standing passengers would be allowed in the buses, the Chief secretary said.
The bus services to Puri have been banned till July 25 next in view of the Car festival which is being observed without the participation of the devotees. Mr Mohapatra said the earlier restrictions on marriages, death rituals and other social functions would continue and no food would be served at the venue to the invitees and guests.
The government has allowed only take away facilities from the restaurants and at the roadside vendors and banned all types of political, social, cultural and academic gatherings in the state.
Educational institutions will also be closed in the state. However, it has allowed the outdoor sports activities without the participation of visitors.
There would be no restrictions on construction, agricultural, industrial and fisheries activities in the state. Parks, malls, cinema halls, exhibitions, Jatra, opera and parks would be closed in the entire state.
The weekly market and daily market in the ten districts under category B would be closed till August 1, the chief secretary said.
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