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Centre may extend Covid-19 lockdown: What have some states said against withdrawing restrictions
India has reported 114 Covid-19 related deaths across the country and a jump of 354 coronavirus disease cases taking the tally to 4421.
Several states in the country have approached the Centre to extend the 21-day lockdown, which is supposed to be in place till April 14, sources in the government said on Tuesday.
A senior government official confirmed to HT that the Centre was mulling over it as several states have come forward with request against withdrawing nationwide lockdown, which was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24.
Sources said the lockdown could be extended for at least till the end of this month.
India has reported 114 Covid-19 related deaths across the country and a jump of 354 coronavirus disease cases taking the tally to 4421.
Here what states, including Telangana and Maharashtra, have said:
Madhya Pradesh
“The lives of people are more important, the economy can be built again but if people die, how will we bring them back? That is why, if the need arises we will extend the lockdown, a decision will be taken based on the situation,” chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, according to news agency ANI.
Telangana
Chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has cautioned that if the lockdown is lifted it could cost lives and that it is the reason the country has seen very few cases.
“It is true that the country’s economy has taken a beating during the lockdown period. Telangana, too, suffered heavily – our revenue was just Rs 6 crore in the last six days, against the expected revenue of Rs 2,500 crore. But we can always revive the economy once this crisis is over, but we cannot bring back the lives of the people who could die in large numbers if the lockdown is lifted,” he said.
He said it will be difficult to control people if the lockdown is lifted.
“All the efforts we had put in all these days, braving financial loss, would go waste if the situation comes back to square one due to the lockdown being eased,” Rao said.
Rajasthan
Chief minister Ashok Gehlot said the lockdown to check the spread of coronavirus has to be lifted in phases and not as soon as the 21-day period ends on April 14.
“We cannot withdraw lockdown immediately. It has to be done in a phased manner, that is what I feel,” Gehlot said at a press briefing through video conferencing.
Karnataka
State medical education minister Dr K Sudhakar hinted that the lockdown could be extended beyond April 14th in the state’s ‘red zones’.
The state has identified parts of capital Bengaluru, Mysore, Nanjangud, Gauribidnur, Bidar and Mangalore as ‘red zones’ as they account for a bulk of the positive cases in the state.
Sudhakar said while speaking to the media that they would consult with the Centre and other relevant officials and the state might take a call to lift the lockdown in the ‘red zones’ only in phases.
Assam
Assam’s health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has also hinted towards extending lockdown in the state.
“If the lockdown is lifted by April 14 or 20, we will face challenges,” Sarma was quoted as saying by a local news portal.
Sarma added that the challenge would be to quarantine all the people stranded outside Assam who will come back as soon as the lockdown order is lifted.
Uttar Pradesh
Awanish Kumar Awasthi, the state’s additional chief secretary (home), said that following the recent spike in Covid-19 cases, the lockdown in the state is likely to continue.
“The state government wishes to make it clear that the lockdown is not likely to be lifted until there is a single coronavirus case in the state. The lifting of the lockdown means UP has become coronavirus free,” Awasthi said at a press conference in the state capital.
Punjab
Suresh Kumar, Punjab chief minister’s chief principal secretary, has also pointed that the lockdown is expected to continue in most parts but issue curfew passes to allow harvesting from April 15.
“A final call will be taken on April 12 or 13,” Suresh Kumar said on Sunday.
Maharashtra
State health minister indicated last week that the government may extend the lockdown by a couple of weeks, especially in Mumbai and other urban areas of the state.
“Lifting it fully in a city like Mumbai is unlikely,” health minister Rajesh Tope said on Friday.
