Odisha Govt Modifies COVID-19 Lockdown Order, Adds Exemptions

Bhubaneswar: Odisha government today partially modified the 14-day lockdown order to add certain exemptions. As per the notification issued by the Special Relief Commissioner's (SRC) office, mining operations, banks, insurance and financial institutions will continue to operate during the lockdown with certain conditions.

It is pertinent to mention here that Odisha government yesterday had announced a 14-day lockdown in four districts- Ganjam, Khurda (including Bhubaneswar), Cuttack and Jajpur and entire Rourkela Municipal Corporation area in view of the rising COVID-19 cases. The lockdown came into effect from 9PM of July 17.

Here are the details of the exemptions issued by the SRC office today:

-Shops dealing with fruits, fish, meal chicken and egg to remain open between 6 am and 1 pm subjected to strict adherence of norms of physical distance and other Covid-l9 safety protocols to be ensured by the local authorities. The Local Authorities may disperse the fish, meat and chicken shops out of the traditional market areas.

-Cold storage warehousing services and packaging units including their transportation to operate
-Deployment of private security securities is allowed

-Home delivery of liquor by the existing ON/OFF/OS licensees as per the prevailing guidelines of Excise Department

-Telecom and Internet Service providers including their maintenance offices and movement of their staff with proper identity cards to be allowed

-Data and CallCentres to operate

-Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions including Service Organisations to operate with not more than 25 percent of their manpower strength for essential banking transactions and ATM feeding agencies.

-Capital and debt market services as notified by the Security & Exchange Board of India (SEBI) with bare minimum staff.

-Office of Comptroller & Auditor General of India and its field offices allowed to operate with bare minimum staff
-Departments of the State Government and their sub-ordinate offices as notified by the GA &PG Department can operate

-Offices of UN Agencies allowed to operate with bare minimum staff

(Edited By Bikram Keshari Jena)

Also Read: COVID-19 Lockdown: Entry To Bhubaneswar,Cuttack Restricted, Borders Sealed