Odisha Govt. staff to face disciplinary action for not wearing masks

In order to restrain the spread of Covid-19 in Odisha, the government has warned all the government employees to wear masks during office hours. Those found without masks, will face strict disciplinary action.

The move was announced after the state started witnessing a rise in COVID cases, with numbers having touched 3,140 on June 9.

Following the spike in numbers, the General Administration & Public Grievance department issued an advisory to all government employees saying social distancing has to be meticulously followed across all government departments to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

The state government has also laid down some strict social distancing norms, allowing only four people to gather inside the elevator, and that too, facing the walls of the elevator and not each other.

A minimum distance of two metres has to be maintained between two persons at all times in the office, whether they are talking, sitting, waiting or standing anywhere within the premises.

Employees have been directed to keep their masks on all through the working hours, failing which they will risk strict disciplinary action.

The advisory mandates frequent handwashing for at least 20 seconds during office hours, especially after visiting the washrooms.

Frequent and regular sanitisation of the office buildings and common areas has been made mandatory, for which sufficient cleaning and sanitation materials are to be procured by respective office establishments. All office rooms, staircases and have to be mandatorily cleaned at regular intervals.

Doorknobs, buttons, handrails, washroom fixtures, and other surfaces also have to be cleaned regularly. The interiors of the vehicles, including steering handles will also be disinfected “using one per cent sodium hypochlorite solution/ spray,” according to the order