With pandemic test positivity rate (TPR) and infection registering steady decline, Odisha government on Wednesday eased the lockdown curbs and lifted the weekend shutdown in 20 districts while extending the partial lockdown in the remaining 10 Covid-affected districts till 16 July.

Chief secretary Suresh Mohapatra announcing the unlocking guidelines said the embargo on public transport system bus service in 20 districts, where Covid situation has considerably improved, has been withdrawn. Besides, there will be no weekend shutdown in these districts.

The business houses and shops in category-A districts will be allowed to operate from 6 am to 6 pm. These 20 districts have been categorized in group A with Test Positivity Rate (TPR) below 5%. are- Angul, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Kalahandi, Balangir, Nuapada, Sonepur, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Boudh, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Malkngiri and Rayagada.

All businesses are allowed to function daily from 6 am to 6 pm except the malls, spas and parlours in these districts. The hair cutting saloons were also allowed to function for 12 hours.

The remaining 10 districts are placed in category B as the TPR stays above 5% in these areas. The category-B districts are Nayagarh, Puri, Khordha, Cuttack, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Bhadrak and Balasore.

The shops are allowed to open from 6 am to 2 pm with one hour additional relaxation. Earlier the shops in these districts were permitted to operate till 1 am. The weekend shutdowns and restrictions will continue to remain enforced in these districts as it was the case in the earlier phase of lockdown.

Buses could ply in the category-A districts with its maximum seating capacity. Buses are barred from carrying passengers standing. The cabs and autos in these districts can carry two persons besides the driver. Restriction of the outdoor and indoor film shooting has been lifted in these districts while daily markets and weekly haats which were earlier shut were allowed in in category A districts.

Curbs in economic activities will remain suspended in category-B districts. The malls, cinema halls and jatras will continue to remain shut and curbs on marriages and funerals will remain in force in Category B districts.

As the second wave reached its deadliest peak consistently clocking over 10,000 positive cases daily, the State government had clamped lockdown on 5 May this year for a fortnight. Later it was extended in periodic intervals as covid surge goes unabated in the State.

“We should not let our guards down but be much more careful. He stressed on door-to-door surveys to be intensified and said that doctors should be prepared to handle cases related to children as the third wave is likely to impact the young”, the Chief Minister had said yesterday in a statement.