After Delhi, 5 more states want the blockade to extend beyond May 3 | India News



[ad_1]

A day after the Delhi government said the blockade would have to be continued until May 16 in the national capital, five states, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Bengal, Punjab and Odisha, strayed on Saturday towards the extension of the curves. at the critical points of their respective states beyond May. 3)
Six other states, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka, said they would follow the directive of the Center, while Assam, Kerala and Bihar would answer a call after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s video conference with the states and Union territories on Monday. Telangana, the only state that has already extended the blockade, said it would take a call two days before the closure ends on May 7.
Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope supported the extension of the confinement in the containment areas in Mumbai and Pune, which account for 92% of all cases in the state, until May 18. “The extension of the confinement will be discussed in the video conference on Monday afternoon. If necessary, we will extend the closure for 15 more days after May 3. It may only be for the containment areas, if not for all of Mumbai and Pune, “he said.
Maharahstra, which has the highest number of Covid-19 positive cases in the country, also decided not to implement the Interior Ministry order to open independent or neighborhood stores. “Like today, we believe there will be no change to the closing order, and therefore we have not allowed new stores to open in the state.” We want the status quo to be maintained until May 3, “Tope said.
Yogi Adityanath’s government in UP also wants to wait before opening stores. “It is crucial that UP contains the number of cases. The government has already allowed stores that sell essential products, such as groceries and medicines, and 11 types of industries to operate. We will not allow more stores to open at this time, “said a senior official.
Significantly, three opposition-ruled states of Bengal, Odisha and Punjab, appear to be in favor of extending the blockade in the affected areas after May 3. Bengal is likely to continue restrictions on red zones in Kolkata, Howrah, North 24-Parganas, Hooghly, East Midnapore, East Burdwan and Nadia, government sources said. However, the Mamata Banerjee government is unlikely to seek a state blockade, sources added.
Punjab Prime Minister Amarinder Singh is of the opinion that it may not be possible to lift the blockade any longer, as the state has witnessed three peaks on the Covid-19 curve in the past 40 days.
Odisha also thinks that it is not advisable to lift the lock completely. The state health minister, Naba Kishore Das, said that the relaxations should take place gradually in areas that do not report positive cases and that containment measures should continue in vulnerable areas. “The situation should be reviewed on May 1,” he said.
Madhya Pradesh Prime Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan made it clear that the blockade was unlikely to be lifted in Indore, Bhopal, Ujjain and Khargone on May 3. In fact, the government may add Jabalpur to the list as it has seen a spike in the past two to three days. As for the rest of the state, Chouhan wants the blockade to be phased out in accordance with the Center’s guidelines.
Karnataka will follow the Center’s directive and MHA order at independent neighborhood stores that provide nonessential products. “The government will issue an order on Sunday or Monday,” chief secretary TM Vijaya Bhaskar told TOI.
Rajasthan Prime Minister Ashok Gehlot said state governments should be free to decide on the blockade depending on situations on the ground.
Deputy CM Nitin Patel from Gujarat, who also owns the health portfolio, said the state government “would strictly follow the guidelines of the Center.”
The Chhattisgarh government has written to the Center to allow the reopening of economic activities within the state, as it has very few cases of Covid-19. As of April 25, there are five positive cases.
[ad_2]