Lockdown extended till May 3, migrants throng railway station

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, APRIL 14

Extending the countrywide lockdown till May 3 as a measure to contain the spread of Covid-19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced a graded relaxation plan would come into force after April 20 in select areas subject to strict enforcement and benchmarks in the run-up.

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With the 21-day lockdown period approaching its end this midnight, PM Modi in his address to the nation said the extension suggestion came from all around. It was the collective strength and resolve of the people that was reflected in the fight against the global health pandemic and was a real tribute to the architect of the Constitution, BR Ambedkar, whose birth anniversary falls on April 14.

He said that until April 20, every town, police station, district, would be evaluated on how much the lockdown was being followed and taking note of the extent to which the region protected itself from the virus. “Areas that will succeed in this litmus test, which will not be in the hotspot category, and will have less likelihood to turn into a hotspot, maybe allowed to open up to select necessary activities from April 20. However, keep in mind, this permission will be conditional, and the rules for going out will be very strict. Permission will be withdrawn immediately if lockdown rules are broken, and the spread of coronavirus risked. Hence, we must make sure we ourselves don’t become careless, not allow anyone else do so. A detailed guideline will be issued by the government tomorrow in this regard,” he said, adding that the limited exemptions were being given keeping in mind the livelihood of the poor and daily earners.

He pressed for full wages for the workforce during the lockdown period.

Explaining how the Centre remained ahead in taking steps to prevent the spread of the virus, he said that while it wasn’t appropriate to have comparisons with other countries, the rate of progression in India was far less than some countries that have greater resources and better health infrastructure.

Attempting to blunt the criticism that India had delayed taking preventive steps, the PM said the country began screening at airports even before the first case was detected, started mandatory 14-day quarantine of those arriving in India before 100 people tested positive and declared a nationwide lockdown when 550 cases were recorded.

Outlining seven steps each citizen should take against the spread of the virus, he advised all to take extra care of senior citizens, especially those with health ailments; follow social distancing and lockdown while using homemade face mask; download Aarogya Setu app; help the poor to the extent possible and take care of their food requirement; increase personal immunity; show empathy towards employees and do not remove them from work; and respect frontline warriors engaged in fighting the pandemic.

Cane-charge at Bandra, Surat restive too

• Over 2,000 migrants on Tuesday assembled at the Bandra railway station in Mumbai, demanding they be sent home. The police resorted to cane-charge.
• Seeking passage for them, M’rashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray hit out at the Centre, saying migrants didn’t want food or shelter, they wanted to go home.
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah phoned CM Uddhav Thackeray, saying the admn needed to stay vigilant against any such recurrence.
• In Surat, hundreds of migrants squatted on a road, some saying they had no food. They insisted that they be allowed to go home, police sources said. PTI

PM outlines 7 steps to tackle pandemic

• Take extra care of senior citizens
• Follow social distancing, use homemade mask
• Download Aarogya Setu App, encourage others to do so
• Help the poor, take care of their food needs
• Increase immunity, follow AYUSH guidelines
• Show empathy towards staff, don’t remove them from work
• Respect frontline warriors fighting the pandemic

PM’s address hollow on specifics: Cong

New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address a “rhetoric” and “hollow on specifics”, saying he should spell out the government’s strategy to tackle Covid-19 and solve people’s problems, rather than talk of what he expected of them.

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