Bhubaneswar: On the heels of an alarming rise in daily COVID cases in Bhubaneswar, the local civic body, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday issued stricter guidelines for market places, haats and public parks of the city.
Shortly after the State SRC announced series of revised guidelines including weekend shutdowns in urban centres across Odisha, the BMC came up with new norms for public places.
In an order issued by the BMC, it stated, ” The Zonal Deputy Commissioners of BMC will identify suitable places in consultation with the respective market associations and local ACP/IIC for conducting the markets/Haats at decentralized places for ease of the public as well as for their safety. The places identified during the first phase of the pandemic can be utilized this time again.”
“The vendors should sit with sufficient gap from each other so that social distancing norms can be adhered to by them as well as by the public,” BMC said.
The BMC further ordered that, “The enforcement teams of BDA/BMC with the help of local police will ensure proper enforcement in periodic manner to ensure adherence to the guidelines.”
Similarly, the BMC put restrictions on usage of public parks in the city as well. As per the fresh guidelines, the equipments of open gymnasium and playing apparatus’ of the children will be off limits for the public. They will remain covered until further orders.
Wearing of face masks and keeping social distancing norms has been made mandatory while in park. Persons found spitting inside of a park or consuming narcotics will made to pay hefty fines.