By Bizodisha Bureau, April 25, 2020: The Odisha government on Saturday allowed reopening of shops and intra-state movement of workers with few riders. The District Collectors and the Municipal Commissioners will take a final call keeping the local situations in mind.

Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy said the Municipal Commissioners and the District Collectors would notify detailed orders, specifying shops/types of shops to open within the limits of municipal corporations, urban local bodies and districts as well as their timing.

The government has allowed reopening of all shops, including neighbourhood and standalone shops, those in residential complexes within the municipal limits and registered under the Orissa Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1956, except shops in market complexes and multi-brand and single-brand malls.

Similarly, all shops, including those in residential and market complexes, except in multi-brand and single-brand malls in rural areas been allowed to reopen.

They can be opened with 50 per cent workers with masks and social distancing being mandatory.

Meanwhile, in a significant move, Odisha government on Saturday said, the stranded labourers, who wish to travel within the state for work, would be allowed to reach their work site in an organised manner.

The Revenue and Disaster Management Department said stranded labourers, both from the state and outside, would be allowed to work. Around 86,000 workers, including 16,000 from within Odisha, are being accommodated in 2,610 camps in various districts due to the nationwide lockdown in the wake of Covid-19.

The government has finalized guidelines for their movement and work. The factories, agencies and contractors will have to transport them from camps to work sites in designated buses, maintaining social distancing, according to the order.

The industries, agencies and contractors will report the workers’ details, place of work and buses to the District Collector, through the District Labour Officer. The District Collectors will issue passes to such contractors within the state for the purpose.

Since these stranded labourers have completed the recommended 14-day isolation at their respective camps, the recipient local authorities, executive officer, collector shall not insist upon their further quarantine, to facilitate their immediate joining of workforce.