Odisha govt to deliberate over MHA's order to re-open shops and non-essential services

A day after the Ministry of Home Affairs announced the reopening of certain shops and non-essential services from Saturday, the Odisha government announced that it would soon take a decision on the reopening of shops after considering the local situation, an official said on Saturday. Five more persons tested positive for COVID-19 in Odisha's Bhadrak district on Friday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 94, officials said on Friday. Cuttack-Bhubaneswar Police Commissioner Sudhanshu Sarangi tweeted that decision on implementation of the MHA's order in Odisha will be taken by the state government.

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MHA announces reopening of shops 

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday night allowed all shops under the Shops and Establishment Act to reopen from April 25 amid the Coronavirus pandemic. This includes shops in residential complexes and market complexes. However, the order states that the shops will function at 50 per cent strength and precautions against COVID-19 — wearing masks and social distancing — is mandatory. The Home Ministry has clarified that the relaxation in the given order is not applicable in hotspots and containment zones. It has also prohibited the reopening of shops in multi-brand and single-brand malls. 

(With Agency Inputs)

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