Delhi to start ‘unlock’ from Monday: Kejri
‘Factories, construction sites to reopen first, keeping needs of daily wagers in mind’
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said there will be gradual unlocking of the national capital from May 31 as the Covid-19 situation is coming under control. But, he added, Delhi will take one step at a time and will not unlock all activities as there has to be a balance between containment and the resumption of economic activities. Only construction activities and factories will be reopened from Monday keeping the interest of daily wagers in mind. Everything else will remain shut. A detailed guideline will be issued, the CM said, urging people to not come out of their houses unless absolutely necessary.
“This doesn’t mean the fight against the deadly disease has ended,” Mr Kejriwal stressed.
“It is time to start the unlock process. It should not be the case that people escape coronavirus but die of hunger... We have to maintain a balance between controlling the spread of coronavirus and allowing economic activities,” Mr Kejriwal said during an online press briefing.
“At a meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Friday, it was decided that the lockdown be lifted gradually. In this process, we have to take care of the lowest strata first... daily wagers, labourers, migrant workers who come to Delhi from far off areas in
search of livelihood,” he said.
“Keeping this in mind, it has been decided to open factories and allow construction activities for one week from Monday,” he said, adding the government will continue the unlock process every week based on the opinion of experts and the public.
“However, if cases start rising again, we will have to stop the unlocking exercise,” he added and appealed to people not to step out unless it is absolutely necessary. 24 hours, Delhi
In the last reported a positivity rate of around 1.5 per cent and around 11,00 new cases, the CM said.
“The number of cases and the positivity rate has declined gradually. There is no difficulty in getting beds, oxygen and ICU beds are also available in good numbers. But the fight against the virus hasn’t ended,” Mr Kejriwal said.
“So, whatever gains Delhi has made in the one-and-a-half month of lockdown cannot be squandered by lifting the restrictions in one go,” he added.