COVID-19 Lockdown: Several states for keeping schools, colleges closed

NEW DELHI: States across India seem to favour extending the lockdown due to COVID-19 as the deadline to lift it approaches in a week.

India is under a 21-day lockdown from March 25 till April 14.

Some of the states started responding in favour of lockdown extension after the prime minister sought their opinion on phasing it out.

The Economic Times quoted an unnamed senior government official saying that “ most big states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana and Rajasthan want this [ lockdown extension] as cases [of coronavirus] have been on the rise over the last week.”

Reaction from southern states

Kerala, which was a hub of COVID-19 cases and resolutely fought its spread, said the “time is not ripe for full withdrawal of the lockdown on April 14.

The report submitted by an expert committee constituted by the Kerala Government suggested a phased withdrawal strategy to prevent a rise in COVID-19 cases so that the healthcare system was in a position to deal with it.

The report recommended that “universities, schools and colleges be opened ONLY for the purpose of holding examinations. The seating arrangements during the exam should follow the safe distance rule and the exam centres and halls should have adequate supply of hand sanitisers at entry points.”

Telangana suggested an extension of lockdown to June 3, referring to a survey by Boston Consulting Group. The state IT and industries minister KT Rama Rao told NDTV that according to the survey, the coronavirus cases in the country will peak by June 1.

Northeastern states

The Sikkim Government is mulling deferring the reopening of schools and colleges in the state by two to three weeks.
The Hindustan Times reported that Meghalaya which hasn't registered a single case of COVID-19 wants government offices in the state to open from April 15. However, academic institutions may remain closed till April 30.
Similarly, private transportation, the construction work and other allied developmental programmes sanctioned by the government and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee activities in villages will be allowed to resume from April 15.

Central government’s thoughts

The Union Government would take the decision on easing lockdown restrictions "in the national interest" at the right time, the union environment, forest and climate change minister Prakash Javadekar was quoted on April 6 by television channels.

The NDTV reported that a group of ministers including the home minister, finance minister and defence minister has proposed that all educational institutions, religious centres and shopping malls should remain closed for another four weeks from April 14.

Also read:

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak: Latest Updates
• COVID-19 lockdown: MHRD yet to decide on reopening schools, colleges

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