COVID-19: Shutdown announced in this Odisha town

Dhenkanal: In view of increasing number of COVID-19 positive cases in Dhenkanal town, the district administration announced two-day shutdown in areas under Dhenkanak Municipality.

Exercising the powers conferred under Disaster Management Act, 2005 and the Epidemic Disease Act,1897 read with Clause-2 of COVID-19 Regulation-2020, Dhenkanal Collector Bhumesh Chandra Behera ordered shutdown in Dhenkanal Municipality area from August 27 to 28 to contain the spread of COVID-19 and take all preventive and response measures.

Till date, more than 95 positive cases have been found in Dhenkanal Municipality.

“It is also apprehended that persons coming from adjacent highly vulnerable district to Dhenkanal Municipality area may be carrier and transmit COVID-19 to other healthy people. Hence to contain the local transmission of COVID-19 and keeping in view of rising cases, it is quite essential to take stricter precautionary measures by the district administration,” Dhenkanal Collectorate said in a release today.

As per the order, the town will be under shutdown for two days with effect from tomorrow and the restrictions will continue till Sunday as the weekend shutdown will be in force on August 29 and 30.

There will be intensive contact tracing in Dhenkanal Municipality, the contacts of confirmed and suspected cases will be listed, tracked and kept under surveillance at home for 14 days.

A senior official said that the COVID-19 situation in Dhenkanal especially in town was better than other districts of Odisha. However, the infection rate has increased in the urban areas in the last 10 days. As the district is adjacent to Jajpur, Cuttack, Khordha, by the order of Collector, the town will be shut for 4 days with effect from August 27.

During shutdown, people’s movement and non-essential activities will be restricted in the areas under Dhenkanal Municipality and the district administration will conduct a survey in entire town, expedite testing and isolate the infectees detected during the test.

Only these following activities will be allowed during the shutdown:

  • All medical establishments, movement of ambulances and all medical personnel
  • District and municipal administration/police/fire services
  • Central & State government officials on emergency duty
  • Telecom services
  • Petrol pumps
  • Print and Electronic media identified by the DIPRO/district police
  • Water supply, sanitation and sewerage workers
  • Electricity supply and distribution
  • Movement of goods & good carriers either loaded or unloaded
  • Industrial establishment, factories and construction activities
  • All agriculture, horticulture & fisheries, animal husbandry, veterinary services & allied activities
  • Movement of road transport on highways, road movement of transiting vehicles
  • Movement of public transport, private vehicle and taxis to and from airport, railway station, and bus terminals for facilitating movement of passengers
  • Marriages and funeral with permission of local authority
  • ATMs
  • Operation of bus station and their associated offices, movement of associated personnel and activities
  • Home delivery of food, groceries, vegetables and essential items by restaurants and aggregator
  • Dhabas along National and State Highways for takeaway only
  • Milk booths
  • Newspaper hawkers between 5.00 am and 8.00 am only
  • LPG distribution, home delivery of cooking gas and associated activities
  • Banks, insurance and financial institutions to operate with not more than 25% of their manpower for essential banking transaction and ATM feeding agencies

Any person violating the above rules, will be liable to be proceeded against as per the provisions of Section 51 to 60 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005. Besides, legal action will be taken under section 188 of the IPC and other legal provisions as applicable.

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