Odisha extends unlock process for November, no weekend shutdown

As part of the fresh Covid guidelines for graded unlocking till December1, the Odisha government Sunday said night curfew will remain in force from 10 pm to 5 am in all urban areas of the state during November and there will be no weekend shutdown, an official order said.

All kinds of shops, malls, and business establishments will remain open from 5 am to 10 am every day, a release issued by the office of the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) said.

Noting that all festivals and functions will be held following the guidelines issued on August 9, the state government mentioned that a separate guideline on the sale and use of firecrackers during the festive month will be issued separately by the SRC.

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“This is a critical period as there may be a tendency to ignore Covid appropriate behaviour during festivals, resulting in large gatherings, events, and fairs. It is critical to enforce adherence to guidelines to allow festivities in a cautious and same manner,” the release said quoting a directive from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Considering local conditions, district magistrates/ municipal commissioners/ police commissioner, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack may impose appropriate restrictions on the entry of devotees into places of worship, the order said.

The local authorities may decide the number of persons to attend any such religious ritual, festival, or puja in their respective jurisdictions with strict adherence to Covid guidelines and norms.

Any person violating the measures will be liable to be punished as per the provision of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and Covid-19 Regulations 2020, besides relevant sections of the IPC, the order said.

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