BHUBANESWAR: Chief minister
Naveen Patnaik on Saturday announced complete lockdown in 5 districts and 8 major towns, including state capital Bhubaneswar to prevent transmission of
coronavirus. Emergency services will not be affected in the restrictions.
Naveen said these are the districts were more than 70% of total 3200 foreign returnees belong to.
Odisha has so far reported two persons positive for coronavirus, with travel history to Italy and UK. Their condition is stable.
Coronavirus in India live updatesIn a pre-recorded video message, Naveen said, “We have more than 3000 people who have returned from foreign countries. They are advised for home quarantine. A majority of them belong to the following districts of Khurda (of which Bhubaneswar is a part),
Cuttack
, Ganjam, Kendrapada, Angul besides the towns of Puri, Rourkela,
Sambalpur
, Jharsuguda, Balasore, Jajpur Road, Jajpur town besides Bhadrak. In the first phase, we are going for a near complete lockdown in all these areas from 7 am tomorrow (Sunday) till 9pm of March 29."
"I humbly request you to stay at home and come out only for basic services,” he said.
Stating that in the last 60 days the world has changed, Naveen said, “We thought the change is happening in faraway places like China,
South Korea
but it has reached India now. In the last 15 days, the most powerful countries of the World – U.S., U.K., many in Europe have been severely affected. The case numbers are rising in India.”
“We have a very small window to take preemptive action. There is no cure for this virus. The only cure is prevention. It is only if you go out of your home that you may bring the virus to your home and your neighbourhood. Only through this strategy, China and some countries have reversed the trend,” the CM said.
“Time has come for us to take the extraordinary step and sacrifice, to protect our state and our people,” Naveen said.
Naveen said essential services will not be affected. Hospitals, clinics, medical shops, grocery shops, restaurants (only takeaways and home deliveries) vegetables, meat and milk shops/bread and bakery (but selling of tea and other beverages in the same premises have to be closed), railways, bus stands airports will be open as also public transport. Administration, Police ,Health, Fire, ODRAF, Electricity, Water, Municipal Services, Banks, ATMs ,Petrol pumps shall remain open along with private establishments that support the above services or are linked to the fight against coronavirus.
In the locked down dive districts and the eight towns, distribution of benefits such as pension and public distribution are postponed for the time being.
The government has authorised district collectors are empowered to add or delete any sector /service to this list based on local assessment. Private companies will be advised to encourage work from home. In case they cannot do so and need to continue they need to get a certificate from the collector concerned to continue, Naveen said.
All service providers, including private sector engaged in coronavirus will be declared as emergency workers. “Let us take care of people who have worked for us for long years and pay them their wages for this time even though we have to discontinue their services temporarily. These are extraordinary times, we all have to pitch in. The police cannot enforce this everywhere. We have to see it as our responsibility to protect our lives,” he said.
Naveen said it is the duty of the community, specifically sarpanches and elected representatives and other community leaders to keep a close watch and monitor this lockdown. “The 4.5 crore people of Odisha are my family and I am concerned about the well being of each one of you. My only appeal is stay at home. If you go out – you risk bringing the virus to your family. Go out only for basic requirements – groceries, food and water, medicines, hospitals. The administration will take tough action on anyone violating this and risking their life, their family members and people of Odisha,” Naveen said.