OdishaPlus Bureau

In a bid to bring life back on track gradually in State, derailed since March 24 following lockdown in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, the State Government on Sunday partially amended the previous order on lockdown in the State keeping in view the guidelines issued by the Union Government on domestic air travel, Standard Operating Procedure for movement of persons by train and further normal train operation with effect from June 1, 2020.

corona_lockdown

According to an official release, except in containment zones, inter-state movement of passenger vehicles and buses, with mutual consent of the State(s)/ UT(s) involved have been allowed with restrictions.

The new guidelines also allow intra-state movement of two-wheelers, private vehicles, official vehicles, taxis, including cabs by aggregators like Ola, Uber, etc, while four-wheelers and auto-rickshaws are allowed with up to 2 passengers apart from the driver.

It said the intra-state buses, other passenger vehicles, and city buses are allowed to operate only up to a sitting capacity of the vehicle and intra-state trains to operate following the SOP of Ministry of Home Affairs and Indian Railways.

 

The 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 have been allowed round the clock, for facilitating the movement of passengers by air, rail and road.

“All passengers traveling across the State by any mode of transport shall compulsorily wear face masks and persons with visible symptoms will not be permitted aboard,” the new guideline insists. Meanwhile, the guideline for quarantine in rural areas has also been amended.

Corona-Masks Mandatory

As per the new amendment, the quarantine period for returnee(s) to the State will be limited to 14 days while shall be implemented by the local authorities–District Collectors.
Returnee(s) in rural areas will undergo a week of mandatory institutional quarantine, after which asymptomatic returnee(s) shall be discharged to undergo home quarantine for a further period of one week.

If the local authorities find it necessary for reasons related to containment of COVID-19 and to prevent the spread of infection, they may extend the period of institutional quarantine of the returnee(s). In case the quarantine develops symptoms requiring medical attention, he/ she may be shifted to COVID Care Centre/ COVID Hospital.

The guideline for quarantine in urban areas has been modified to the effect that every person on return from outside Odisha shall have to compulsorily stay in home quarantine for a period of 14 days, observing guidelines issued by State H&FW Department.
If the returnee does not have a proper quarantine facility at home, he/ she shall undergo institutional/ paid quarantine for the duration as directed by the local authorities.

Government officials, professionals, businessmen or any other person traveling to Odisha on work and intending to exit within 72 hours: Government officials, professionals, businessmen or any other person who have traveled from Odisha on work and are returning to the State within 72 hours of departure from Odisha and returnee who has already undergone prescribed quarantine are exempted from mandatory quarantine.

Doctors at quarantine centre

The State Government has appealed to different Odia organizations, the returnees as well as the local authorities to extend all cooperation in this regard to contain the spread of COVID-19. The release said that 72 doctors from eight districts across the State have successfully completed COVID-19 critical care training conducted at SCB Medical College & Hospital, Cuttack.

As many as 17,706 Odia people have returned to Odisha taking the number of such people to 2,55,404 so far, the release said. Nearly 16,586 Temporary Medical Centres/Camps have been readied in 6798 Gram Panchayats of the State with 7,29,095 beds to provide COVID-19 health services in rural areas.

As many as 12 cases have been registered by the Police in the state for violation of different regulations and guidelines related to COVID-19 and 12 persons have been arrested by police for different violations.