A woman and a boy walk past an awareness message painted on road during lockdown to control the spread of the new coronavirus in Ahmedabad, on Thursday, April 23, 2020. AP file photo
Most chief ministers are in favour of an extension of the nationwide lockdown, but want more calibrated relaxations to allow economic activity, a thinking that seems to be in line with speculation that the restrictions on public movement to control the spread of the coronavirus are likely to be extended by another week beginning Monday.
As of 8am on Saturday, India registering a record single day spike of 265 deaths and 7,964 cases, according to the Union health ministry.
The number of Covid-19 cases climbed to 1,73,763 in India, among the nine worst-hit nations of the world. India’s death toll was 4,971, while the number of active cases stood at 86,422.
On Friday, Union home minister Amit Shah met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss suggestions he had received from chief ministers. Cabinet secretary Rajeev Gauba has also conducted a meeting chief secretaries and municipal commissioners of 13 hotspot cities with a high number of Covid-19 cases. The word is that these cities will continue with strict restrictions while other places may see relaxations from June 1.
The nationwide lockdown began on March 25 and has so far seen four extensions.
The four states that account for the maximum number of Covid-19 cases are Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Gujarat. In the east, West Bengal is the worst impacted state. These states account for more than half the hotspot cities, namely, Mumbai, Chennai, New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Thane, Pune, Calcutta and Howrah.
The Telegraph Online looks at how these states plan to deal with another possible extension of the lockdown.
An effigy on coronavirus installed by Greater Chennai Corporation is seen hanging on a pole to spread awareness among people in Chennai PTI file photo
The driver of an ambulance returns after helping cremate the body of a woman who died of Covid 19 on a handcart for cremation in New Delhi, on Thursday, May 28, 2020. AP
Health workers wearing protective suits walk in a locality during their door-to-door surveillance to detect Covid-19 cases, in Calcutta, Friday, April 24, 2020. PTI file photo
Migrant workers and their families gather for transport to the railway station for their onward journey to their home states, at Dharavi slum in Mumbai, on Tuesday, May 26, 2020 AP
Maharashtra
Cases: 62,228
Death toll: 2,098
In a press briefing earlier this week, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray implied that his government’s efforts had ensured Maharashtra did not notch up 1.5 lakh cases by May-end as had been predicted by a visiting Central team.
Mumbai, however, remains the worst affected city in the country, accounting for more than half the confirmed coronavirus cases in Maharashtra, followed by Thane and Pune.
At a Loksatta webinar on Thursday, Thackeray said that he wasn’t consulted before the lockdown was imposed in March or before resuming flight services, suggesting the need for better Centre-State coordination.
As Maharashtra braces for the monsoon, chief secretary Ajoy Mehta told reporters earlier this week that they were willing to lift restrictions in a gradual and calibrated manner. The chief minister, who is not in favour of opening schools until June 15, has, however, hinted at opening non-essential services on trial in all areas except containment zones.
In the last phase, the Thackeray-led government opened up activities in green and orange zones. Going forward, officials have consulted the Centre to resume limited operations of local trains, Mumbai’s lifeline, to ease transportation of frontline workers and essential service providers.
West Bengal
Cases: 4,813
Death toll: 302
Even before the Centre could come out with its set of instructions about a plan of action for Lockdown 5, the West Bengal government announced lifting of a series of restrictions from June 1.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Friday that the government would reopen with 70 per cent capacity from June 8, after initially saying that 100 per cent workforce would be permitted. Private offices were left to decide for themselves.
“I urge all to stay safe, work indoors as much as possible and to the best of their abilities,” Banerjee tweeted on Friday.
Covid cases have seen a rise in Bengal with Calcutta and Howrah accounting for nearly 3,000 cases.
Mamata also said that Bengal would allow the opening of religious places, the second state after Karnataka to do so. Only 10 people would be allowed in at a time. Tea and jute industries – which operated with 50 per cent workforce – have been allowed to work with full capacity from June 1.
The administration had allowed buses, taxis and autos to ply. But there is no clarity about trains or metro services. Buses have been allowed to run with all seats occupied, but no standing passengers will be allowed.
Tamil Nadu
Cases: 20,246
Death toll: 157
Chennai remains the hotspot in the state with more than 13,000 cases in the capital city alone. Chief minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami has hinted at extending the lockdown while observing that the spread of the coronavirus in all other districts was under control.
On Friday, the state recorded the highest single day spike with 874 new cases. Of these, 618 were in Chennai. The state’s tally also crossed the 20,000 mark.
Earlier this week, the Tamil Nadu government allowed 17 industrial estates situated outside containment zones to resume work with 25 per cent workforce. Workers from containments zones were, however, not allowed to join.
According to The Hindu, the chief minister called upon district collectors to strictly follow conditions of the lockdown. He told them that there would be no relaxations in any district.
Gujarat
Cases: 15,944
Death toll: 980
Social media chatter on a stricter lockdown from June 1 in the state was quashed by chief minister Vijay Rupani on Friday. It was rumoured that with cases rising in the state, the government would impose a strict lockdown and order everything shut. “People should not believe in such rumours and stay away from spreading such things,” Rupani had said.
Ahmedabad police also took to social media to deny any plans to impose a curfew. In Gujarat, majority of the cases remain concentrated in Ahmedabad, accounting for over 70 per cent of the state tally.
Like in other states, the Gujarat government is also concerned about the state of the economy. In the last phase, industrial, commercial and other economic activities had gradually started coming back on track after easing of lockdown restrictions. But protests by migrants with many rushing back home had left most sectors struggling.
Delhi
Cases: 17,386
Death toll: 398
The Arvind Kejriwal-government has pushed for more relaxations in the state despite a surge in numbers of Covid cases. On Friday, Delhi saw its highest spike in a day of 1,106 new cases. But the chief minister has been arguing in favour of opening up the city.
On May 4, Kejriwal had said that it was time to reopen Delhi. “In April, the revenue has fallen from Rs 3,500 crores in previous years to Rs 300 crore this year. How will the government function?” he said. Few days later, on May 10, he said that people will “have to learn to live with coronavirus.”
Before the last extension of the lockdown, Kejriwal had asked residents to send suggestions about possible relaxations. PTI quoted sources to suggest that Delhi was in favour of opening religious places, increasing market timings and extending the odd-even model for shops inside malls. In mid-May, Delhi Metro had conducted mock drills with protocols of social distancing in place with the hope of resuming services.
