The Government of Odisha (“Government”) has issued the State COVID Management Guideline (“Guidelines”) to impose lockdown in the Containment Zones till 31st July, 2020 and reopen more activities in a calibrated manner in areas outside of Containment Zones. The Guidelines are effective immediately.
Key Highlights
a. The following activities will remain closed till 31st July 2020:
(i) Religious places/ places of worship for public.
(ii) International air travel of passengers, except as permitted by Ministry of Home Affairs.
(iii) Cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment complexes, theatres, auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places.
(iv) Social/ political/ sports/ entertainment/ academic/ cultural/ religious functions and other large congregations.
(v) Schools, colleges, other educational/ training/ coaching institutions, etc. will remain closed for the purpose of teaching till 31St August 2020. However, conducting examinations and evaluation, etc. will be permitted.
b. Hotels and Restaurants are allowed to operate as per SOPs issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. Restaurant service in Hotels will be open for in-house guests. Restaurants and Hotels are permitted for home delivery/ takeaways of food. Dhabas along National and State Highways/ Major roads for takeaway only.
c. The Guidelines have vested the responsibility with the Local Authorities on opening shopping malls with appropriate restrictions.
d. All shops, commercial establishments, offices, institutions and movement of individuals has been prohibited between 9:00pm to 5:00am throughout the State, except for essential activities.
e. The restriction on night curfew does not apply to the following activities:
(i) District and Municipal Administration/ Police/ Government Officials on duty.
(ii) Doctors, Medical/ Paramedical Staff (Govt. & Private).
(iii) Staff of IT & ITes Companies on production their ID cards.
(iv) Any person, in case of medical or other emergency.
(v) Owner/ staff of chemist shops.
(vi) All industrial units.
(vii) All construction activities.
(viii) 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.
(ix) Operation of hotels and hospitality units, including their associated offices, movement of staff and associated personnel.
(x) Dhabas along National and State Highways/ Major roads for takeaway.
f. The Government has called for weekend shutdown on Saturdays and Sundays in the Zone 1 districts consisting of Ganjam, Gajapati, Khurda, Cuttack, Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Jharsuguda. Only the following activities will be allowed during the weekend lockdown:
(i) All medical establishments including hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, including medicine stores. Movement of Ambulance and all medical personnel.
(ii) District and Municipal Administration/ Police/ Fire Services.
(iii) Central & State Government officials on emergency duty.
(iv) Telecom services.
(v) Petrol pumps.
(vi) Print and Electronic Media identified by Commissionerate/ District Police.
(vii) Water Supply, sanitation and sewerage workers.
(viii) Electricity supply and distribution.
(ix) Movement of goods and good carriers, whether loaded or unloaded.
(x) Industrial establishments, factories and construction activities.
(xi) Agriculture, Horticulture, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, Veterinary Services and allied activities, including procurement at Mandis.
(xii) Service sector industries, including IT/ ITes, Hotel & Hospitality units.
(xiii) Operation of hotels and hospitality units, including their associated offices, movement of staff and associated personnel.
(xiv) Movement of rail and air transport.
(xv) Road transport on highways, road movement of transiting vehicles.
(xvi) 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.
(xvii) Marriages and Funerals, with permission of local authority.
(xviii) ATMs and critical financial institutions like RBI, Clearing Houses.
(xix) Operations of Airports, Railway Stations, Bus Terminals and their associated offices, movement of associated personnel and activities.
(xx) Home Delivery of food, groceries, vegetables and essential items by restaurants and aggregators such as Zomato, Swiggy etc.
(xxi) Dhabas along National and State Highways/ Major roads for takeaway only.
(xxii) Milkbooths.
(xxiii) Food & Grocery stores such as Reliance Fresh, Big Bazaar, Chilika Fresh and others for home delivery only.
(xxiv) Newspaper hawkers between 5 am and 8 am only.
g. The Government has issued general directives to be adhered to such as:
(i) Face coverings: Wearing of face cover is compulsory in public places; in workplaces; and during transport.
(ii) Social distancing: Individuals must maintain a minimum distance of 6 feet in public places.
(iii) Shops will ensure physical distancing among customers. The owner/ manager of the shop shall be liable for any violation.
(iv) Salons, Spas, Beauty Parlours and Barber shops are required to ensure all safety precautions, disinfection and sanitization before and after service of each customer. The owner/ manager shall be liable for any violation.
(v) Gatherings: Public gatherings/ congregations of more than 7 persons are prohibited.
(vi) Marriage related gatherings: Number of guests not to exceed 50.
(vii) Funeral/ last rites related gatherings: Number of persons not to exceed 20.
(viii) Spitting in public places will be punishable with fine, as prescribed in accordance with laws, rules or regulations.
(ix) Consumption of liquor, paan, gutka, tobacco, etc. in public places is prohibited.
h. The Government has also issued additional directives for workplaces such as:
(i) Obligation of Heads of Offices: All offices, Government and Private, must ensure adherence to the SOP on preventive measures to contain spread of COVID-19 in offices issued by Department of H&FW, Government of Odisha dated 30thJune 2020. Non-adherence to these guidelines will invite action under appropriate provisions of Disaster Management Act, 2005.
(ii) Work from home (WfH): As far as possible the practice of WfH should be followed.
(iii) Staggering of work/ business hours will be followed in offices, workplaces, shops, markets and industrial & commercial establishments.
(iv) Screening& hygiene: Provision for thermal screening, hand wash and sanitizer will be made at all entry and exit points and common areas.
(v) Frequent sanitization of entire workplace, common facilities and all points which come into human contact e.g. door handles, etc., will be ensured, including between shifts.
(vi) Physical distancing: All persons in charge of workplaces will ensure adequate distance between workers, adequate gaps between shifts, staggering the lunch breaks of staff, etc.
The Government has allowed unrestricted movement of persons and goods. No Permission/ approval/ permit/ Passes will be required for such movements.
Source: Government of Odisha
