Coronavirus Lockdown: Five More States Favour Extension of Curbs in COVID-19 Affected Areas Beyond May 3
After Delhi, five more states have favoured extension of the ongoing lockdown beyond May 3 at least in coronavirus hotspots.
New Delhi, April 26: After Delhi, five more states have favoured extension of the ongoing lockdown beyond May 3 at least in coronavirus hotspots. Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha and Punjab on Saturday backed extension of lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said curbs could continue till May 18 in the containment zones in Mumbai and Pune, which account for 92 percent of the total cases in the state. Coronavirus Live India Tracker.
"A discussion on extending the lockdown will be taken in the video conference with the PM on Monday. If required, we will extend the lockdown for 15 more days after May 3. It may only be for the containment zones, if not for the entire Mumbai and Pune," Tope was quoted by TOI as saying. In West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee may not seek statewide lockdown, but restrictions in red zones might continue beyond May 3. When Will Coronavirus End in India? Here's What Health Ministry And The Latest Data by PIB Say.
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh is not in favour of lifting the lockdown because the state has witnessed three peaks in the Covid-19 curve in the past 40 days. Odisha, too, is of the view that it may not be possible to lift the lockdown completely. "The situation should be reviewed on May 1," state Health Minister Naba Kishore Das said, adding relaxations should be given in a phased manner and preventive measures should continue in affected areas.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan wants the lockdown to be lifted in a staggered manner. However, he has made it clear that it may not be possible to lift the curbs in Indore, Bhopal, Ujjain, Khargone and Jabalpur. Six other states — Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka — said they would follow the Centre’s directive.
Assam, Kerala and Bihar would take a call after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s video conference with Chief Ministers of states and union territories on Monday. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is of the view that the state governments should be given the freedom to decide on the lockdown depending on ground situations.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 26, 2020 08:49 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).