Bhubaneswar: In a significant decision, the Odisha Cabinet under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has approved to hike the penalty for not adhering to Covid-19 guidelines to Rs 1 lakh.
The State will bring an ordinance to amend the Section 3 of the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897 to increase the penalty amount and imprisonment term.
Briefing the media about the Cabinet decisions, Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy, said that the amendment will enhance the imprisonment term upto 2 years or fine upto Rs 1 lakh or both.
It may be noted here that the State government has introduced Odisha Covid-19 Regulation 2020 exercising the power conferred under Section 2 and 3 of Epidemic Disease Act, 1897.