Lockdown to continue in Punjab from May 18, no curfew

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 16

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said lockdown will continue in the state with relaxations, although his government will lift curfew restrictions

Amarinder Singh said in his weekly Facebook live that his government will continue to keep the state in lockdown from May 18 regardless of the central government’s decision.

In answer to a query, he said that it was necessary to continue with lockdown to slow the spread of coronavirus.

“I do not know what Centre is going to announce on May 18, but I will open up most of the cities while keeping the restrictions in areas witnessing more number of COVID cases,” he said.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said he would draw up a detailed plan to opening up businesses and industries in the state on May 18. “My effort would be kick start the state’s economy by opening up maximum number of business establishments that have been hit by the lockdown,” Amarinder Singh said.

He said he was not on favour of zones---green, red and yellow---instead preferring a broader division of the state into containment and non-containment zones.

“We want to divide the state into confinement and non confinement zones. Those areas which are affected will be sealed while non-areas will have maximum activities open up from May 18,” he said up in the state on May 18.

Educational institutions in the state however will remain shut until there was “more clarity on COVID 19”.

The development comes on a day when Punjab reported 14 new cases, taking the state’s COVID-19 tally to 1,946. The state has recorded 32 deaths so far from the infection.

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