Bhubaneswar: While Odisha is setting examples in tackling the Corona pandemic effectively under the leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, other states are taking cues from Odisha at this crisis situation.
Taking cues from Odisha, the Punjab Government has declared weekend lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the State.
In Odisha, the State Government has imposed a two-day weekend shutdown in 11 of the 30 districts with increasing COVID-19 cases till June 30, while enforcing lockdown 5.0 in the entire State.
In a similar move, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has ordered stricter lockdown on weekends and public holidays amid growing concerns of COVID-19 reaching the community spread in the State.
As per the fresh guidelines, shops dealing with essential commodities/services shall remain open on all days till 7 pm. However, other shops, whether standalone or in shopping malls, shall remain closed on Sundays, while on Saturdays they can open till 5 pm.
The inter-district movement will be barred except for e-pass holders, and only shops dealing with essential commodities and services will be allowed to operate on all days of the week, the guidelines said.
The guidelines are in addition to those notified earlier by the state government for Lockdown 5.0/Unlock 1.0, and will remain in force on weekends and gazette holidays till further orders.
Punjab has reported so far 2,986 positive cases of COVID-19.