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BHUBANESWAR: All industrial, MSME, construction and mining activities would continue during the lockdown, which starts from Wednesday, to keep up the economic momentum.
Industries secretary Hemant Sharma said all industrial units have been directed to take adequate safety measures like thermal screening of their employees daily, use of masks and sanitisers and maintaining social distance.
“Corporate offices will be allowed to operate with 30% staff strength only while industrial units and workshops will allow employees by ensuring social distancing norms,” Sharma told TOI.
Construction activities both in the government and private sectors and movement of vehicles and labourers are also allowed both in urban and rural areas to facilitate livelihood opportunities. Brick kiln operations in rural areas outside the municipality and corporation areas have also been allowed.
People resort to panic buying before lockdown starts, at Unit-1 market on Monday
BHUBANESWAR/SAMBALPUR: It was a mad rush of people in the markets of twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack and western Odisha’s biggest town Sambalpur on Monday as people scrambled to buy essentials and much more ahead of the 14-day lockdown starting Wednesday, which aims to break the chain of transmission.
Markets, especially vegetables, grocery, chicken and meat shops witnessed unprecedented crowd, throwing caution to the wind. By the looks of it one felt these shops won’t open again or they may not get a chance to buy at all. The shopowners were also busy in transactions, forgetting the need to maintain Covid protocol. This despite the fact that shopowners had been categorically told that they could be penalised if norms were violated.