Bhubaneswar:15/7/21:The Odisha government on Thursday extended the partial lockdown in the State by 14 days till August 1 (6 AM). While shops in the 20 Category A districts in the State will remain open from 7 am to 8 pm, all shops will open from 7 am to 5 pm in Category B districts.
Announcing the fresh guidelines, Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra said gyms, beauty parlours and spa will be allowed to operate in both Category- A and Category-B districts in adherence to COVID-19 guidelines. Buses, which were earlier allowed to operate only within Category A districts, can now operate across the State (except Puri due to Rath Yatra). Both indoor and outdoor shooting are allowed across the state.
. Similarly, taking into account the plea of people associated with gyms, the government has also allowed the fitness centers to operate while strictly adhering to the COVID-19 norms.
During this period, the following activities will remain prohibited:
a. All educational, training, coaching institutions, etc., except as allowed by Government.
b. Exhibitions/ Trade Fairs/ Melas/ physical Business to Business meetings are prohibited. However, such activities may be taken up in virtual mode.
c. All cinema halls, multiplexes, park/ entertainment park/ amusement park/ theme park/ water park/ indoor amusement centres, theatres, bars and auditoriums, assembly halls, Merry-go-round (Doli)/ Meena bazaar and related activities and similar places.
d. All Malls shall remain closed
e. Government & Private swimming pools.
f. Jatra/ opera/ open air theatres shall not be allowed to operate.
g. All social/ political/sports/entertainment/ academic/ cultural/ religious functions/ other gatherings.
h. All religious places/ places of worship shall be closed for public. However religious rituals are allowed with bare minimum priests/ servitors and staff. Religious congregations are strictly prohibited.
i. All official meeting/ training etc. shall be allowed with participation of maximum 100 persons and Official programmes for inauguration, laying of foundation stone shall be allowed with participation of maximum 30 persons adhering to COVID- 19 protocols.
The 20 districts that come under Category-A are Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Kalahandi, Balangir, Nuapada, Sonepur, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Boudh, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Angul, Dhenkanal and Keonjhar– have been classified .
Besides, 10 districts that are classified under Category-B are Khordha, Puri, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Balasore, Bhadrak and Mayurbhanj.