Bhubaneswar: Clarifying doubts over the relaxation of lockdown norms, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), Monday, stated that no dilution of lockdown norms and that it has deployed five vehicles having public address systems (PAS) in the city to intimate the citizens of the same.
The PAS, which started at 12 noon Monday, will continue till the lockdown period is over. The PAS informed the people that the lockdown is still in force and stores selling essential commodities like grocery; vegetables, fruits and medicine are only permitted to open their shutters.
The announcement also added that stores selling building materials like cement, sand, chips and iron rods are also allowed to open if the construction work is in same locality (in-situ). However, this, as per the BMC order, is allowed provided the shop owners would bring the materials only during night time between 10 pm and 5 am.
The BMC order April 20 had also asked the construction agencies/contractors to ensure the transportation time in collaboration with the show owners selling the construction materials.
“The five vehicles used for announcing the BMC message to the public across the city will not only help in convincing the citizens to learn about the lockdown situation, but also would help people to be alert as the social distancing theme would be recapitulated through this process. In fact, in order to fight the global pandemic COVID-19, staying at home and social distancing have emerged as two major ways to challenge the spread,” an official at the BMC said.
Earlier in a tweet the BMC said, “As Bhubaneswar is still in hotspot/red zone category the lockdown status in the city will continue as such to contain the spread of COVID-19 till review of the situation. Citizens are requested to kindly bear with us and cooperate.’’
Out of the total 111 COVID-19 positive cases from across the state, Bhubaneswar alone has reported 46.
