Lockdown 4.0 guidelines: Maharashtra becomes latest state to extend lockdown till May 31

Lockdown 4.0 Guidelines & Rules: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will issue a fresh set of guidelines pertaining to the fourth phase of the lockdown later in the day.




Lockdown 4.0 guidelines: With the third phase of the nationwide lockdown coming to an end on Sunday, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will issue a fresh set of guidelines pertaining to the fourth phase of the lockdown later in the day. Follow LIVE updates on India Lockdown 4.0

While several states like Assam, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Punjab have recommended that the Centre should extend the lockdown to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), others like Delhi, Haryana, and Karnataka have suggested a gradual easing of restrictions.

List of states that have already extended the lockdown

Maharashtra

The Maharashtra government today extended the lockdown in the state till May 31. “The calibrated phase-wise relaxation/lifting of lockdown orders will be notified in due course,” the order issued by state Chief Secretary Ajoy Mehta said.

The present lockdown was valid from May 2 to 17. “Lockdown 3.0 ends today. Lockdown 4.0 will come into effect tomorrow and will be valid till May 31. There will be some relaxations in the fourth phase,” an official was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. “The green and orange zones will get more relaxations, in terms of starting more services.”

As of now, only essential services are operational, he said.

Maharashtra has recorded 30,706 COVID-19 cases of which 22,479 are active. The death toll is 1135, while 7,088 patients have been discharged after recovery.

Telangana

Telangana was the first state in the country to extend lockdown till May 29. Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao had announced the continuation of existing restrictions till the remainder of the month within a few days after the Centre decided to extend the nationwide lockdown till May 17.

Under lockdown restrictions, all shops in rural areas are allowed to run, while 50 per cent shops in towns will be allowed to function. Private and public sector offices will be allowed to function with a third of the staff. Meanwhile, shops selling non-essential items will remain shut in red zones.

The state government has announced curfew hours between 7 pm and 6 am in all 33 districts of the state. “Public should complete purchase of essential items by 6 pm and return to their residences by then. There will be curfew in the state from 7 pm onwards. If anyone is found outside, police will initiate action,” the chief minister had said.

Currently, the total number of coronavirus cases in the state stands at 1,509, including 34 deaths and 971 recoveries, according to the Ministry of Health.

Mizoram

The Mizoram government also extended the lockdown till May 31. The decision was taken after various political parties and several organisations, including those of NGOs, churches and doctors, favoured extension of the lockdown at a meeting on Thursday, an official told PTI.

At a meeting of various task groups on Covid-19 presided over by Chief Secretary Lalnunmawi Chuango, it was decided that the lockdown will be extended beyond May 17, the official said.

A task group was formed to study about extending insurance cover to frontline workers such as police, village or local-level task force volunteers, government employees on special duty and those who pick garbage from quarantine facilities, the official said.

Chief Minister Zoramthanga who presided over Thursday’s meeting had said that extending the lockdown was crucial to ensure public safety, although the state has been declared green zone after its lone patient recovered on May 9.

As of now, Mizoram has one active case while one patient has recovered. No death has been recorded in the state.

Punjab

Beginning May 18, Punjab will lift the curfew but will continue with the lockdown till May 31 with maximum possible relaxations, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had said on Saturday.

“From May 18, there will be no curfew in the state. But the lockdown will be there till May 31. Most of the shops and businesses will be allowed to open. We will give more relaxations. Select public transport will also start plying on roads from Monday onwards,” Amarinder said in a live Facebook interaction as part of his #AskCaptain initiative.

He said the containment zones will be sealed to enable the resumption of economic activity in non-containment areas, he said, adding that lockdown details will be announced by Monday after going through guidelines of the Centre.

Amarinder, however, made it clear that the educational institutions will remain closed.

“Schools cannot open till we have a cure for the virus. Social distancing is a must to check spread of the disease. I know children are losing on their studies…We are encouraging schools to start giving online classes,” he said, adding “There is not going to be any hike in fee this year by private schools”.

Defending the decision to extend the lockdown, he warned of another spike as he said 60,000 Punjabis from other states and 20,000 from other countries are coming back in the coming days. “We have to be careful. We hope we are able to control the spread by May 31 and do away with the lockdown also.”

As on Sunday, the total number of cases in Punjab stands at 1,946 including 32 deaths. As many as 1,257 persons have recovered.

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