KERALA IMPOSES MORE CURBS TO TACKLE COVID-19
MALAPPURAM (KERALA) As the Kerala government has decided to use the police for ensuring people follow coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19) protocol, police teams in Mallapuram said they will take strict action against those flouting social distancing norms imposed to limit the rise in Covid-19 cases.
The decision has been taken as Kerala continues to record the highest number of daily Covid-19 cases in India. The state has 72,482 active cases, as per the government.
“We plan to control/limit the number of new COVID-19 cases in Kerala by enforcing social distancing in public places. We have also made announcements using police vehicles. After issuing warnings for 1-2 days, we will take stringent action,” Abdul Karim, Malappuram Superintendent of Police (SP) Abdul Karim told ANI on Sunday.
The Malappuram Police has marked some places as hotspots to take extra caution to combat Covid-19. spread further in western Uttar Pradesh with thousands of people converging for a “mahapanchayat” on Sunday in Baghpat, the third such congregation in the region in as many days.
The “sarv khap mahapanchayat” took place at the Tehsil ground here with farmers pouring in from nearby districts as well in tractor-trollies, many of which are decked up with music systems, the tricolor and farmer unions’ flags.
Earlier, massive congregations were held in Muzaffarnagar on Friday and in Mathura on Saturday, both resolving to support the ongoing Bku-led protest at the Ghazipur border against the three new farm laws.
BKU leader Rajendra Chaudhary told the crowd, “the movement has to be continued with full strength.”
In the Capital, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal reiterated his support to the protesting farmers and said he will offer any help possible to them.
Responding to a tweet by farmer leader Naresh Tikait, Kejriwal said,”naresh ji. You people are struggling so much. I will help in every way through my party and my government.”
Tikait in a tweet had earlier thanked Kejriwal for providing basic facilities at the Gazipur protest site.
“@Arvindkejriwal Thank you for providing basic facilities to the farmers at the #Ghazipurprotest site,” Tikait wrote.
Farmers have been protesting at different borders of the national capital since November 26 against the newly enacted farm laws: Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
The farmers’ stir appeared to be going on the backfoot following the January 26 incident, when a section of rampaging protesters stormed the Red Fort, installed religious flags on its domes and clashed with police there as well as a few others places on the Capital.
The events of the day left around 400 police personnel injured.
However, the movement regained strength starting Tuesday evening after droves of people, driven by Rakesh Tikait’s emotional appeal on camera, started making their way from several Western UP districts to the Ghazipur border.
Sons of legendary farm leader Mahendra Singh Tikait, fondly referred to as Baba Tikait, the Tikait brothers have considerable influence in the region.
leather briefcase that had been for decades used for carrying budget documents with a traditional red cloth ‘bahi-khata’, had earlier this month stated that the budget for the fiscal year beginning April will be “like never before”.
The budget, economists and experts say, will be the starting point for picking up the pieces after the economic destruction caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Arun Singh, Global Chief Economist at Dun and Bradstreet, said unprecedented circumstances require unprecedented measures.
“Globally, governments are facing massive policy and operational challenges and are adopting unconventional measures to revive their economy. A big bang package of reforms is thus on the anvil.”