Weekend shutdown announced in Rourkela till July end

Rourkela: In view of fast spread of COVID-19 cases in Rourkela, Sundargarh district administration imposed weekend shutdown in the Steel City till end of July to contain spread of deadly virus.

Exercising powers conferred under Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, Disaster Management Act, 2005 and COVID-19 Regulations 2020, Sundargarh Collector Nikhil Pavan Kalyan ordered shutdown in Rourkela (both Rourkela Municipal Corporation area and Steel Township area) and Kalunga Industrial area on all Saturdays and Sundays till July 31.

As per the order, restrictions will be imposed on intra-district movement of public and private transport, operations of shops and commercial establishments, Government and private institutions and movement and assembly of people for two days every week.

The shutdown was announced in one of the major towns in Odisha to take preventive measures such as active surveillance, contact tracing and social distancing to contain the spread of the disease.

During weekend shutdown, only following activities will be allowed:

• All medical establishments including hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, including medicine stores, Movement of Ambulance and all medical personnel.
• District and Municipal Administration/ Police/ Fire Services Central & State Government officials on emergency duty
• Opening of Grocery Shops & Milk booths from 6.00 AM to 2.00 PM only Telecom services Petrol pumps
• Print and Electronic Media identified by District Police
• Water supply, sanitation and sewerage workers
• Electricity supply and distribution
• Movement of goods and goods carriers, whether loaded or unloaded
• Industrial establishments, factories and construction activities
• Agriculture, Horticulture, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, Veterinary Services and allied activities, including procurement at Mandis
• Service sector industries, including IT/ ITes, Hotel & Hospitality units, Operation of hotels and hospitality units, including their associated offices, movement of staff and associated personnel
• Movement of rail transport
• Road transport on highways, road movement of transiting vehicles
• Movement of Public Transport, private vehicles and taxis (including cabs by operators like Ola, Uber, etc.) to and from airports, railway station and bus terminals / stands/ stops, for facilitating movement of passengers by air, rail and road
• Marriages and Funerals; with permission of appropriate authority as per norms.
• ATMs and critical financial institutions Clearing Houses
• Operations of Railway Stations, Bus Terminals and their associated offices, movement of associated personnel and activities.
• Home Delivery of food, groceries, vegetables and essential items by restaurants and aggregators such as Zomato, Swiggy etc.
• Dhabas along National and State Highways/ Major roads for takeaway Only
• LPG distribution, home delivery of cooking gas and associated facilities, personnel and vehicular movement.
• In-situ Construction projects of Government department only
• Newspaper hawkers between 5.00 AM and 8.00 AM only

Besides, night curfew will remain in force in other days strictly prohibiting the movement of individuals and vehicles between 9.00 PM and 5.00 AM throughout Rourkela and Kalunga Industrial area except for essential activities.

All non essential shops, whether, wholesale or retail, are allowed to function between 05.00 AM to 08.30 PM.