Odisha Hardens Covid Guidelines, Revised Norms Effective Till May 15, Check Details

Bhubaneswar: Odisha government on Monday issued some additional guidelines for stricter enforcement to curb the massive spike in cases of Coronavirus infections in the State. The announcement comes on a day when the State reported its biggest daily tally ever of 4445 new Covid cases and 4 deaths.

The Special Relief Commissioner has released a set of partial modifications of all its earlier orders for Covid-19 containment. The restrictions will become effective from April 21 and will remain in force till May 15, 2021.

Here are the details of revised guidelines, what are allowed and what not.

• Weekend Shutdown to be enforced in all urban centres from April 24
• All educational institutions under control of State govt, technical/ professional institutions, including the Polytechnics/ Diploma Colleges/ Technical Colleges and Universities, closed until further orders. No Students shall be allowed to stay in Hostel under any circumstances.
• All ongoing offline Diploma examinations, which shall be concluded on 26th Aprll, 202L shall be allowed to continue as per programme by complying to Covid appropriate behaviour.
• Scholars, researchers, and students who desire to stay in hostel for research/ project works or other academic activities may be permitted for the same upon giving undertaking and subject to approval by appropriate authorities.
• AII Anganwadi Centres shall remain closed, as ordered by W&CD Department. Take-Home Ration or other alternate solutions as feasible may be worked out by the Department.
• The number of persons allowed in a marriage function shall not be more than 50 (for the entire event) including hosts, guests, priests and catering, and other support staff.
• In case of funerals and last rites, the ceiling on numbers of persons including host and family members, guests, priests, and other support staff shall be twenty (20).
• No marriage procession shall be allowed. In case of violations, vehicles and equipment, and accessories used in the procession shall be seized and criminal action taken against the host/ owner of the band/baja/light sound service provider.
• The list of participants should be submitted to the local authorities at least 24 hours before the event.
• No Social/ Cultural/ Political/ religious/ Academic meetings/ congregations shall be allowed. No rallies/ Processions of any soft shall be allowed.
• On entry of devotees into such religious places, District Magistrates may, looking into the prevailing situation in the district impose any further restrictions as deemed proper.
• Offering of feast/ guest entertainment/ community feast of any kind shall be prohibited irrespective of number of persons attending.
• Haats and Markets including fish markets shall be decentralized and allowed to operate with a minimum 30 feet distance from shop to shop.
• Malls shall operate with a reduced number of customers. No food court shall be open for seat-in dining. Only take away shall be allowed.
• Hotels / Restaurants shall not allow outside persons to dine inside the premises. They can serve takeaway food to customers through online or offline orders.
• No Street Food Vendors shall serve food to consumers at the venue.
• All Interstate bus seruices have been ordered to be suspended w.e.f.  today, April 19. Intra -State buses shall run with seating capacity only. No standing passengers shall be allowed. Taxil Cab/Autorickshaw shall be allowed to operate with driver and two passengers.
• Cinema Halls/theatres are allowed to operate with up to 50o/o of the hall capacity.
• Entertainment parks/ Amusement parks / Merry-go-round (Doli) / Meena bazaar and related activities are allowed to operate within the ceiling of fifty persons.
• Jatra/ opera/open-air theatres shall not be allowed to operate.
• Staggering of work/ business hours will be followed in offices, workplaces, shops, markets, and industrial & commercial establishments.