More curbs to go, but lockdown may stay, PM hints at CMs meet

More curbs to go, but lockdown may stay, PM hints at CMs meet

‘Need To Reduce Spread, Increase Public Activity’

Akhilesh.Singh@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:12.05.2020

Prime Minister Narendra Modi indicated that steps to open the economy would continue to be pursued in line with relaxations announced so far even as efforts to reduce incidence of Covid-19 continue apace and social distancing norms are followed.

Modi hinted that a more graded relaxation of the lockdown could be on its way during a lengthy interaction with chief ministers on Monday. “I am of the firm view that the measures needed in the first phase of lockdown were not needed during the second phase and, similarly, the measures needed in the third phase are not needed in the fourth,” an official release quoted the PM as saying.

“We have a twofold challenge — to reduce the transmission rate of the disease and to increase public activity gradually, while adhering to all the guidelines,” he said.

PM Modi at the video conference with CMs on Monday

Didi, Thackeray favour extension of lockdown

The long interaction, where all CMs spoke, saw some in favour of continuing with the lockdown beyond May 17. Given the focus on containment, the lockdown may not be called off even as more easing of curbs, particularly in green areas, is on the anvil.

While West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee complained about the Centre’s “unilateral” actions, she like other CMs such as Uddhav Thackeray and Nitish Kumar favoured extension of the lockdown. Kumar expressed reservations on resumption of train services. Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan said states should be allowed to decide on public transport while Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik suggested that there should be broad lockdown principles. Thackeray expressed concern over reports of a second wave of infection in China.

Sources said the PM was very conscious about the need to continue all efforts to contain the disease so that gains of the lockdown were not lost and also referred indirectly to the need to concentrate on problematic areas.

“We now have a reasonably clear indication as to the geographical spread of the pandemic in India, including the worst affected areas. Moreover, over the past few weeks, officials have understood operating procedures in a time such as this, right up to the district level,” Modi said, suggesting that the disease tracking mechanism was gaining experience and becoming more effective.

Full report on www.toi.in