Bhubaneswar: The COVID-19 tests of the Odisha Assembly legislators, their PSOs, drivers and staff members of the Assembly started from Tuesday. The procedure will continue till November 19 in view of the Winter Session which will start from November 20.
Speaker Surya Narayan Patro earlier informed that RT-PCR tests of the legislators, staff and other officers will be done in a special counter and a Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) team along with a medical team will collect the swab samples. Those who test negative will be allowed to sit in the House.
Those legislators, staff and other officers who will test negative for COVID-19 will be provided with face masks and sanitiser.
All the legislators will have to remain in home quarantine after the expiry of the session, he added.
While answering journalists’ queries, Patro said that social distancing norms will be strictly followed inside the House. Regarding Question Hours, he said it has not been decided as yet whether there will be Question Hours or not.
The winter session has been summoned for 40 working days from November 20 to December 31.
Senior officials informed that masks, sanitizers will be provided to all those who will enter the House including journalists.
“The Assembly building will be sanitized every day during the session. Proceedings will continue Saturdays and Sundays, while an option for the elderly MLAs to participate in it through video conference will also be given”, Patro added.
PNN