Coronavirus: Odisha Shuts Down 5 Districts, 8 Towns Till March 29

Bhubaneswar: In order to contain the spread of Coronavirus, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday ordered a near-total lockdown of 5 districts and 8 towns including the State capital for a week.

According to the announcement of the CM, five districts and eight major towns in the State will be locked-down from 7 AM on March 22 till 9 PM on March 29. The districts of Khurda, Ganjam, Cuttack, Kendrapara, Angul, along with towns of Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Balasore, Bhadrak, Puri, Jajpur Road, Jajpur Town and Rourkela will be covered under this lockdown.

All activities excluding some essential works will remain suspended during the lockdown period. Bus, train and air services will be available while grocery shops, vegetables shops, meat, fish, egg shops, petrol pumps and medicine shops will remain open during the lockdown period. The wholesale market of essential commodities will also remain open.

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Emergency services like hospitals, banks, ATM counters, municipality services, police, fire services, ODRAF, drinking water and electricity supplies will also remain available. Administrative offices will also remain open.

Disbursement of social security pensions and public distribution system will remain suspended in the five districts and eight towns during the lockdown period. The district collectors can suspend any service after reviewing the situation.

We are going for near-complete lockdown from 7AM tomorrow till 9PM of Mar 29 in Khurdha, Cuttack, Ganjam, Kendrapada, Angul districts & in towns of Puri, Rourkela, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Balasore, Jajpur Road, Jajpur Town, Bhadrak in view of #Covid_19: #Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik pic.twitter.com/DWfm50BMZ0

— OTV (@otvnews) March 21, 2020

The private companies in those places have been directed to implement work from home policy. If they fail to do so, they have to take permission from the district collectors to continue the offices.

Also Read: Coronavirus Restrictions: Here Is The List Of Shops That Will Remain Closed

The announcement further stated that private service providers who are engaged in prevention of COVID19 have been included under emergency services.

Stay at home & come out only for basic services because you risk bringing #coronavirus to your family: #Odisha CM ordering near-complete lockdown in 5 districts & 8 major towns of the State till March 29#OdishaFightsCorona #IndiaFightCorona #Covid_19 pic.twitter.com/s2b0coG4LJ

— OTV (@otvnews) March 21, 2020

The CM further said the lockdown has been ordered keeping in view the interest of the public and police have been directed to take stringent action against those who will violate it.

Read More: Coronavirus Update: COVID-19 Cases Rise To 271 In India

Here's the formal notification issued by the Odisha government laying out the details pertaining to the lockdown in five districts and eight major towns of the State from March 22 to March 29.

Near total lockdown will be implemented across 5 districts & some towns across #Odisha from 22nd March, 7 AM to 29th March, 9 PM. Follow the advisory incase you need to go outside to procure essential commodities. #7DayOdishaLockdown @CMO_Odisha pic.twitter.com/SR4n8zVELk

— H & FW Dept Odisha (@HFWOdisha) March 21, 2020