Odisha to impose night curfew in 10 districts amid Covid-19 surge

All shops, commercial establishments, offices, institutions and movement of individuals shall remain closed/prohibited between 10 pm and 5 am, except for essential activities in these districts.

Published on: Apr 3, 2021, 20:17:08 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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With Covid-19 infections steadily increasing, the Odisha government on Saturday decided to clamp night curfew in 10 districts which are witnessing a surge in cases of the viral infection.

The Odisha government on Saturday decided to clamp night curfew in 10 districts which are witnessing a surge in cases of Covid-19. (Image used for representation). (HT PHOTO.)

On Saturday, Odisha reported 452 new cases, marginally lower than 461, that were reported on Friday.

The Special Relief Commissioner in a notification said night curfew will be in place in the districts of Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Nuapada, Bolangir, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Koraput and Malkangiri. The night curfew restrictions will come into effect from April 5 from 10 pm to 5 am. Of the 2,820 active Covid-19 cases in the state, these 10 districts account for more than half of the cases.

All shops, commercial establishments, offices, institutions and movement of individuals shall remain closed/prohibited between 10 pm and 5 am, except for essential activities in these districts. The district Collectors/ municipal commissioners shall issue orders for their respective jurisdictions, under appropriate provisions of law, such as Section 144 of CrPC, and ensure strict compliance.

Micro-containment zones have been declared in parts of Phulbani municipality in Kandhamal district and a village in Kalahandi district. The Kandhamal district administration on Saturday declared School Sahi of Dakpala village and five houses in Masterpada under Ward No- 5 of Phulbani Municipality as Micro-containment zones till further orders.

Similarly, Limser village under Brundabahal panchayat in Kalahandi district was declared a containment zone by the local sarpanch till April 8 midnight. The move came after a person of the village succumbed to the virus and six other villagers tested positive on Friday, informed sarpanch Himangini Rout.

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation and the Cuttack Municipal Corporation have issued fresh guidelines restricting the number of participants in marriage functions in the city to 100. “For marriage related functions, the maximum number of persons allowed are 100 with strict adherence to Covid-19 appropriate behaviour and maintenance of social distance. For funeral rituals, the maximum number of people allowed is 50,” the orders of BMC and CMC said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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