Amid coronavirus scare in Odisha following detection of a positive case, the state government on Tuesday extended the tenure of the regulation in force till April 15 and decided to set up more quarantine facilities in block level.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said the COVID-19 Regulations, 2020 which were in force till March 31, have been extended till April 15 and may be extended further if required.
"The regulation will be in force till April 15 which may be extended based on the situation. Appeal everyone to comply with the regulation and be part of Odisha's efforts in protecting the people of the state from #COVID19," Patnaik tweeted.
Authorities in around eight districts in the state imposed prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC. Prohibitory orders were also clamped on Puri and Konark beaches. Berhampur and some other towns witnessed government-sponsored shut down in order to avoid mass gathering.
People in different parts of the state resorted to panic buying essential commodities as the government closed down shopping malls and big outlets where people in large numbers gather. However, government chief spokesperson Subroto Bagchi said malls are closed to avoid big crowd and social gathering.
"The shops inside the mall dealing with grocery items, medicine or milk articles will remain open," Bagchi said, adding that it is frequently seen that malls have become places for socialising apart from shopping.
"While schools, colleges and hostels remained closed across the state since March 13, Bagchi said Ashram schools housing 5.75 lakh ST & SC students will operate hostels. They are being monitored in close interval and have been found safe," he said.
After imposition of the prohibitory orders, the committee on vertical social distancing for COVID-19 response, headed by Additional Chief Secretary P K Mohaptra, said, "Provision of Section 144 of CrPC shall not be invoked either by the district magistrates and police in commissionerate area to enforce social distancing rather it should be implemented through information, education and communication and awareness build up and media campaign."
The state government on Tuesday announced it will disburse four months (April, May, June and July) social pensions to elderly and destitute.
State Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister R P Swain said the government is also planning to distribute a three-month advance public distribution system (PDS) ration.
The commissionerate of police, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack, on Tuesday issued an advisory to IT firms in the state and asked them to adopt special safeguards.
According to the advisory, employees who have been to a foreign country will have to be quarantined for 14 days during which they may work from home or avail leave as per the company policies.
Also, if any employee has family members who have recently travelled to a foreign destination, he or she would have to submit a declaration and stay at home for 14 days.
The notification will come into effect from March 17 Sarangi said, adding that any firm failing to comply with the orders shall be liable for prosecution under section 100 of the Odisha Urban Police Act.
The state government also appreciated public response as 1,239 people who returned from abroad in last 24 hours came forward for registration of their names. This includes 554 persons contacting through call centres while the rest through website.
Earlier on Monday, the state government made it mandatory for those who returned from abroad to register their names for preventive observation.
Bagchi said the state government has taken a policy decision to substantially activate 104 helpline number that has received over 10,000 calls within last 24 hours.
On the present situation, he said till date the state's Health and Family Welfare Department, has collected 32 samples, out of which 31 have tested negative for coronavirus.
One person who has tested positive for the disease is under treatment and is stable. People who came in contact with the man have already been advised home quarantine, Bagchi said, adding that isolation facilities have been organised in all districts headquarter shospitals and medical college hospitals. So far, 540 isolation beds are ready, he informed.
To expedite quarantine facilities in rural areas, panchayats have been provided Rs 5 lakh each by the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department, Bagchi said, adding that extensive special awareness meetings will be organised state-wide on March 19, 20 and 21 to enlighten the three-tier Panchayati Raj representatives.
All the banks have been instructed to maintain social distancing, cleaning, sanitisation of ATMs, he said.
To avoid large gatherings, tourists are discouraged from visiting popular destinations, with several shrines, including the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, restricting entry of visitors, he added.
The first confirmed case of novel coronavirus was reported in Odisha on Monday after a researcher, who recently returned from Italy, tested positive for it. The 33-year-old is being treated at the Capital Hospital here.
Meanwhile, the Orissa High Court Bar Association in an emergency meeting on Tuesday decided that its members will skip the court work from Wednesday till March 31 to avoid mass gatherings.
The association unanimously decided to suggest its members to avoid the court proceedings and stay away from mass gatherings as a precautionary measure, said Bar Association secretary Sanjay Kumar Das.
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