States, UTs likely to have more say in lockdown 5.0
NEWDELHI: The Centre is likely to retain a limited role and allow states and Union territories to take decisions on whether to tighten or give additional relaxations in the nationwide lockdown in their respective jurisdictions from June 1, officials said on Friday, as Union home minister Amit Shah met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and appraised him about the views of all chief ministers on the extension of the lockdown.
During the meeting, Shah briefed Modi about the suggestions and the feedback he received from the chief ministers during his telephonic conversations on Thursday, a government official said.
The nationwide curbs were first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24
for 21 days in a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). It was first extended till May 3 and then again till May 17. The lockdown was further extended till May 31.
The home minister’s telephonic conversations with the chief ministers came just three days before the end of the fourth phase of the lockdown.
Officials said the central government may advise state authorities to continue with strict curbs in Covid-19 containment zones in the worst-affected 30 municipal areas that account for 80% of the positive cases in the country. These 30 municipal areas are from Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Odisha.
“There is every possibility that the Centre will have very limited role with regards to imposing restrictions or giving relaxations from June 1. The states and UTs will take decisions on such issues depending on the situation locally,” a senior government official told news agency PTI.
The central government may continue with the suspension on operation of international flights and political gatherings as well as closure of malls and cinema halls, besides ordering mandatory wearing of face mask by people in public places and maintenance of social distancing norms everywhere.On reopening of schools or restarting Metro train services, the states may be allowed to take a call. “From now onwards, lockdown measures will be reviewed every fortnight where states will have major say in every decision related to their respective jurisdictions,” the official said.
During his talks with the chief ministers, Shah sought to know the areas of concern of the states and the sectors they want to open up further from June 1.
It is understood that majority of the chief ministers wanted the lockdown to continue in some form but also favoured opening up of the economic activities and gradual return of the normal life, another official said.
Officials said the states may also be allowed to take a decision on allowing religious places, which have been shut since March 25, when the lockdown had begun. Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa had recently said that he has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him that Karnataka be allowed to reopen temples, mosques, churches and other religious places.
After his talks with Shah, Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant said he felt the lockdown may be extended for 15 more days. “However, we want some more relaxations like opening of restaurants with social distancing at 50% capacity,” he said.
Hectic parleys are still going on in the central government to assess the impact of the lockdown so far and the role to be played by the centre government and the States and Union territories after the fourth phase of the curb comes to an end on Sunday.
The central government is particularly concerned over the Covid-19 situation in 30 cities, including four metros of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai, where positive cases are spiraling, officials said.
It is also taking into account the rapid increase of cases in states like Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Assam and Karnataka after arrival of migrant workers and other people from big cities or virus-hit regions.“Some states want curb on travel of people from outside. However, such blanket decisions are not acceptable to everyone,” the official said.