Bhadrak: In view of rapidly rising COVID-19 cases, Bhadrak district administration Sunday announced lockdown in Bhadrak municipality and Dhamnagar NAC areas. The lockdown will come into force July 20 and stay valid till July 31.
The lockdown will be applicable from 1pm to 5am in both areas, collector Gyana Das said.
“We have decided to impose the lockdown to contain the disease and use the opportunity to do enhance monitoring and surveillance of the cases. During this lockdown, all shops, commercial establishments, offices and institutions shall remain closed while mobility of people will be restricted,” Das said.
Das further added that only essential services such as grocery shops, medicine shops and healthcare institutions will be allowed to open. People in emergency services will be allowed to venture out during the period.
Meanwhile, Bhadrak district administration, in a notification, said that all private and government establishments in the district will be allowed to continue their operations albeit with minimum staff.
Besides, the district administration has allowed goods vehicle to move freely during the period, but has barred public transport – except those ferrying passengers from railway stations, airports and bus stations.
The lockdown guidelines claim that shops selling vegetables, grocery and milk would remain open only between 5am and 1pm.
The district administration has also allowed agricultural activities, industries, fisheries, animal husbandry, IT firms and others to continue with their operations during the lockdown period with the least number of staff.
Collector Das said that those violating lockdown norms will be penalised.
PNN