Lucknow: The lockdown imposed in Uttar Pradesh in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak may be extended if the situation doesn’t improve, chief secretary RK Tiwari told News18 on Monday.
Tiwari added that UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath is monitoring the situation and a decision on extending the lockdown will be taken after a review.
“The chief minister is continuously monitoring the situation. Today is April 6 and there is almost a week to go for the lockdown to end. A decision will be taken on the situation then. In the last few days, most of the positive cases are somehow related to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation (in Delhi) and more than half the positive cases from the state are also of people linked to the event,” Tiwari said.
“If the cases continue to surge, we might have to extend the lockdown. We are prepared and wherever cases are being reported, containment exercise is being done. Contact-tracing is also being carried out and testing is being done. Apart from this, 6,000 isolation beds and 12,000 quarantine beds have been made at the Covid-19 hospitals. Supply of masks and other surgical equipment is being ensured to the hospitals,” he added.
On the issue of labourers, daily wagers and homeless people getting effected by the lockdown, he said, “MNREGA labourers, pensioners of all kinds are being taken care of by the state government. The CM has also ensured help to daily wagers, rickshaw pullers, the homeless. Educational institutions have been told to defer fees and not to pressurise parents.”
Later, additional chief secretary (Home) Avneesh Avasthi said speculation on lifting the lockdown is premature till the state is not “coronavirus-virus free”.
He added that the state is planning testing for people who were directly in contact with the Jamaat attendees.
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