New Delhi [India], Mar 22 : Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has appreciated the Odisha government's decision of locking down five districts including eight major towns on Sunday as a precaution against coronavirus.
Pradhan urged Odia people to support the state and central governments by practising restraint, avoiding social gatherings and non-essential travel in order to win the battle against coronavirus pandemic.
Pradhan earlier praised the idea of Janata Curfew mooted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling the Prime Minister's address an example of exemplary leadership in challenging times and urged the people to make it a success.
Earlier in the day, Pradhan shared a video of a residential complex in Noida rehearsing the Prime Minister's appeal to thank people associated with the essential and emergency services including the doctors and paramedics.
In the backdrop of coronavirus pandemic, the Odisha government has directed over 3,000 people, who have returned from foreign countries, for home quarantine and announced a near-complete lockdown in various districts.
The districts and towns where lockdown has been declared from tomorrow 7 am till 9 pm include districts of Khurdha, Cuttack, Ganjam, Kendrapada and Angul, and the towns of Puri, Rourkela, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Balasore, Jajpur road, Jajpur town and Bhadrak.
( With inputs from ANI )