Bhubaneswar April 24 : The Odisha government earlier this week extended the duration of the weekend curfew imposed in the state and announced that the lockdown on Saturdays and Sundays will be imposed in all 20 urban areas of the state, which will come into effect from April 23, Friday 9 pm and will continue till April 26, Monday 5 am.
The decision was taken in wake of the rising coronavirus cases in the state and amid an acute oxygen shortage in hospitals across the country. However, the Odisha government has given an exemption of 1 hour on Saturdays and Sundays between 5 am to 6 am for morning walks and other physical activities.
Apart from this, the night curfew which was earlier imposed in the state will also continue. The night curfew timings in 10 bordering districts are 6 pm to 5 am while timings in 20 other districts are 9 pm to 5 am.
Here’s what’s allowed and what’s not during the weekend curfew:
What’s allowed?
All the essential services will continue to operate.
Hospitals
Nursing homes
Medicine stores
Grocery shops
Milk booths
Eateries on national and state highways will remain open.
Telecom services
Petrol pumps
LPG distribution, home delivery of cooking gas and associated facilities, associated personnel and vehicular movement
Print and Electronic Media identified by Commissionerate/ District police
Water Supply, sanitation and sewerage workers
Movement of goods and goods carriers, whether loaded or unloaded
Movement of rail and air transport
Road transport on highways, road movement of transiting vehicles
What’s closed?
Eateries and Restaurants
Customers will only be allowed to pick up food parcels from eateries and restaurants.
Marriage and funeral programme organisers will have to mandatorily submit the list of participants to local authorities for permission 24 hours before the events.
50 people are allowed to attend weddings while only 20 people are allowed to attend funerals.
Civic authorities and police will ensure that COVID-19 protocols are strictly enforced and stringent action will be taken against violators.