Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday urged the people of the State to strictly maintain social distancing during celebration of the three-day-long Raja, an annual mass festival beginning on Saturday.

Quoting the Chief Minister’s message, State government’s chief spokesperson for COVID-19 Subroto Bagchi asked people not to put their lives at risk during the festival and avoid crowded places.

“The festival will come every year, but no one should put his life at stake by violating social distancing norms and disobeying the rule of mandatory use of mask and prohibition of spitting at public places,” said Mr. Bagchi.

He also said that municipal authorities and police will keep a close watch at crowding in shops and market places and violators will be taken to task.

136 new cases

As many as 136 new COVID-19 positive cases were detected in the last 24 hours in the State taking the total to 3,386.

The 136 new cases include 54 personnel of National Disaster Response Force and Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force who were in quarantine after returning from West Bengal where they were engaged in restoration work in areas hit by Cyclone Amphan.