Bhubaneswar: In view of rising number of COVID-19 cases reported from 11 districts in Odisha, the State Government decided to enforce two-day shutdown in those districts every week for a period of one month.

The 48-hour shutdown will be in force in coastal districts as well as Nayagarh and Balangir districts every Saturday and Sunday till June 30, said Odisha Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy at a presser in Bhubaneswar today.

The districts that will be under complete shutdown for two days every week included, Ganjam, Puri, Nayagarh, Khordha, Kendrapada, Bhadrak, Balangir, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur and Balasore.

As 95 percent cases are reported from different quarantine centres in these districts, the Government decided to restrict movement of people during weekends to tackle and contain spread of infections in community level, Tripathy said.

As per shutdown restrictions, all the offices, commercial establishments, bus services, local transports and non-essential services that resumed today will remain closed for two days every week.

However, the healthcare services, hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and medicine shops will be excluded from the shutdown norms.

The electronic media identified by district administration and police authorities will be allowed for movement on roads.

However, the Railway and flight services and goods movement will remain unhindered during shutdown period.

The social distancing guidelines will be strictly followed in the sectors offering essential services, Tripathy stressed.

The move came on the first day of Unlock-1 after Centre lifted lockdown in phases in battle against COVID-19 in the country.

During weekend shutdown, only following activities shall 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
• Telecom services
• Petrol pumps
• Electronic Media identified by Commissionerate/ District Police
• Water supply, sanitation and sewerage workers
• Electricity supply and distribution
• Movement of goods and good carriers, whether loaded or unloaded
• Industrial establishments, factories and construction activities
• Service sector industries, including IT/ ITes, Hotel & Hospitality units
• Movement of rail and air transport
• Road transport on highways, road movement of transiting vehicles
• Movement of Public Transport, private vehicles and taxis (including cabs by aggregators 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 local authority

However, based on assessment of the situation, District Collectors/Municipal Commissioners may impose area specific additional restrictions on activities outside the Containment zones, or impose such restrictions as deemed necessary for containing the spread of COVID-19.