Coronavirus: Lockdown may continue, Delhi seeks share in relief fund

Coronavirus crisis: Delhi’s tally of coronavirus cases crossed the 1,000 mark on Saturday. The national Capital had registered a total of 1,069 positive cases, including 19 deaths and 26 recoveries.

The Delhi government has suggested the nationwide lockdown in force since March 25 may continue in the national capital till the end of April, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said on Saturday hours after chief minister Arvind Kejriwal met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a video conference along with chief ministers of all other states.

People violating social distance as they wait at a food distribution by the Delhi government, on day eighteen of the 21 day lockdown to limit the coronavirus, in Geeta Colony New Delhi, India on Saturday, April 11, 2020. (Sonu Mehta/HT PHOTO)

Kejriwal conveyed this opinion to the PM, who is scheduled to make an announcement over the issue within a few days. In a tweet later, Kejriwal said the PM was open to extending the shutdown for the 15-day period after April 14, when the curb is scheduled to end.

Delhi’s tally of coronavirus cases crossed the 1,000 mark on Saturday. The national Capital had registered a total of 1,069 positive cases, including 19 deaths and 26 recoveries.

During the meeting, Kejriwal also urged the PM to allocate funds for Delhi to fight Covid-19.

“The chief minister requested that Delhi be given funds like other states are being given by the Centre. He reasoned that Delhi is under ‘dual pressure’ as it not only has to take care of its own 2 crore people, but also lakhs of other people who do not reside in the Capital but are (taking shelter) in the city due to the lockdown,” said a senior official in the chief minister’s office.

On April 4, Sisodia had written to finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman expressing disappointment for not giving “a single penny” to the national Capital from the ₹17,000 crore-worth emergency assistance given to different state governments.

NO INDIVIDUAL CALL YET

Minutes after the PM’s meeting got over Kejriwal took to Twitter where he said the Central government has decided to extend national lockdown by two more weeks.

“PM has taken the correct decision to extend lockdown. Today, India’s position is better than many developed countries because we started lockdown early. If it is stopped now, all gains would be lost. To consolidate, it is imp to extend it,” Kejriwal tweeted in support of the lockdown.

This came at a time when high-Covid spread states of Odisha, Maharasthra and Punjab, among others, have already extended the lockdown in their respective states.

Delhi’s deputy chief minister later told HT that seeing the increasing number of coronavirus cases in the national Capital, lifting the lockdown now would be like setting off a ticking time bomb.

When asked if the Delhi government will issue an order on its own on extending the lockdown, like some states did, Sisodia said such a need would not arise.

“We have requested the PM that the extension has to be a ‘nation-wide’ lockdown. We do not see any possibility of the lockdown being lifted. The PM also agreed on continuing with the lockdown,” said Sisodia.

While the PM announced the nation-wide shut down on March 24, Delhi chief minister Kejriwal had imposed the pan-city lockdown a day in advance.

MANDIS TO ENSURE SOCIAL DISTANCING

To ensure strict implementation of social distancing and mask-wearing in places which have a tendency to be crowded, Delhi chief secretary Vijay Dev on Saturday directed district magistrates and deputy commissioners of police to launch a crackdown at all the mandis (big markets) of the Capital.

“The chief secretary warned that responsibility will be fixed in case of non-compliance of the order. He also directed officials that the upcoming festivals, celebrations are closely regulated. Social distancing and protocols of coronavirus prevention must be strictly observed,” a senior government official said.

Soon after Dev’s directive, Najafgarh sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Saumya Sharma ordered shifting the Najafgarh wholesale vegetable market to Haibatpura village to prevent crowding.

Meanwhile, two station house officers of Amar Colony and Bara Hindi Rao police stations were transferred to the district lines for failing to ensure social distancing.

COMPENSATION FOR PSV DRIVERS

The Delhi Cabinet on Saturday approved the transport department’s proposal to give one time financial help of ₹5,000 to drivers of autos, taxis, e-rickshaws and other para- transit vehicles.

The application process for this will start Monday and public service vehicle (PSV) providers will need to fill a simple online form on the transport department’s website. The drivers will have to type their vehicle number and the PSV badge number in the form to apply.

Delhi transport minister Kailash Gahlot said the financial help will be given through direct benefit transfer in the Aadhaar-linked bank accounts of the eligible drivers.

“The benefit will be given to all such PSV badge holders who have been issued such badges till March 23 this year. Further, in case of persons whose driving licences have expired on or after February 1, 2020, their cases will also be considered for grant of benefit,” he said.