Ongole limps to normalcy as shops open

ONGOLE: After a gap of over two months, life returned to near normalcy in Ongole city on Saturday as shops are permitted to remain open from 7 am to 7 pm, except within 400 metres radius of Gopala Nagar and Yekalavya Nagar containment zones. 

Jewellery, ready-made garments, cloth stores, general stores, roadside tiffin centres and food take away points have become functional. However, the police are keeping an eye out that people continue to wear face masks and implement social distancing. 

Though the district authorities issued directives on Thursday, most of the business activities resumed from Friday and got their normal pace on Saturday. “We are strictly monitoring the face masks and social distancing norms and violators will face punishments as per the rules,” OMC Commissioner P Niranjana Reddy said. 

District Collector P Bhaskar said the commercial establishments and shops should duly follow regularly sanitise/disinfect their premises. Sanitisers/soap and water should be provided at a shop’s entry and exit gates. All staff and customers should be let into only if they wear face masks and maintain social distance in view of public health. 

Meanwhile, the district authorities announced 23 containment zones. After lockdown 3.0 was announced, though the government announced some relaxations, they were not implemented in the district owing to gradual increase in positive cases.