Osmanabad, May 24 (PTI) With the COVID-19 positivity rate on the decline, Osmanabad district administration has allowed shops selling essential items like grocery, vegetables and milk to remain open between 7 am and 11 am till June 1.

Bakeries, petrol pumps, shops selling meat and sweets are also allowed to remain open for four hours every day.

However, restaurants, hotels and bars will remain closed.

In an order issued by district collector Kaustub Divegaokar, all banks, post offices, and shops selling agri seeds and fertilizers can function till 2 pm.

On the first day of relaxation of the lockdown-like norms on Monday, people thronged vegetable markets and shops selling essential goods in Osmanabad. Despite warnings, social distancing was not maintained at many places.

The 'Janata' curfew observed every Saturday and Sunday will continue to remain in force in the district.

A few weeks ago, the case positivity rate in Osmanabad district, part of the Marathwada region, was as high as 38.60 per cent which has fallen to 18.82% now, as per the data provided by the government district hospital.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)