34 non-Covid districts in UP may get some relaxations

Thirty-four UP districts, where no coronavirus cases have been found so far, are likely to get relaxations, but their borders with other districts or states may

 Thirty-four UP districts, where no coronavirus cases have been found so far, are likely to get relaxations, but their borders with other districts or states may still remain sealed as an extra precaution.

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“Thirty-four of the total 75 districts have not reported any corona positive cases and we may allow relaxations to people in such districts though inter-district and inter-state borders may still remain sealed,” chief secretary Rajendra Kumar Tiwari said.

Tiwari also said UP would take a call on extension of the lockdown only after the Centre made an official announcement on the nationwide curbs.

“The prime minister had a video conference with states on Saturday to take their suggestions. While some states have on their own announced extension of the lockdown, we would like to wait for the Central government’s instructions in this regard before we take a call,” he said.

While 41 districts of Uttar Pradesh are in the grip of the deadly Covid-19 that has already infected 483 persons there, 34 of the 75 districts have managed to keep the Sars-Cov-2 virus at bay.

According to the chief secretary, the coronavirus could not spread its tentacles to 34 districts largely because none in these districts was found to have come in contact with anyone returning from abroad, unlike in other 41 districts where the disease spread after one person or the other came in close physical contact with someone with a foreign travel history.

“Moreover, the lockdown and sealing of inter-state and inter-district borders helped,” he said.

Additional director (communicable diseases) Dr RK Gupta made a similar observation.

“Thirty-four districts have remained safe so far because no one with a foreign travel history was found to have returned to these districts,” he said.

“Neither have any Tablighi Jamaatis, who attended the Nizamuddin Markaz, been found in these districts so far,” he added.

Foreign travellers and the Jamaatis, Gupta pointed out, had been found to the major source of Covid-19 transmission to others.

Tiwari also said the government was considering giving some relaxations to various sectors to unleash economic activities in the state.

“Industries and some other commercial establishments may get an exit from the lockdown with certain conditions, including mandatory compliance of rules related to social distancing and wearing masks,” he said.

“The idea is to restore economic activities in the state while at the same time containing the disease,” he said.

He said the staff of some government and semi-government departments may be asked to resume duty, with certain restrictions.