Telangana: Lockdown 2.0 from today

Hyderabad: In variance to the earlier stand taken by the Telangana government that there will be no lockdown, the state Cabinet on Tuesday decided to join the list of growing number of states to enforce a partial lockdown in the state.

The Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao decided to impose lockdown from Wednesday amid a spike in coronavirus cases. The relaxation period for all economic activities is between 6 am and 10 am. It also decided to constitute a Task Force to ensure regular procurement and supply of life-saving drugs.

The state government wants to ensure that the number of positive cases comes down to below 1,000 by the end of ten-day lockdown. The Cabinet would take stock of the situation on May 20 and take a call on ending or continuing with the lockdown.

According to the CMO, all activities related to agriculture and healthcare and pharma sectors have been exempted from the provisions of lockdown. All the works under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) and traffic on highways are also exempted. The state will set up check posts on the borders with other states.

While government offices would work with one-third of employees, banks are allowed to continue their operations. In addition, public transport like the RTC and Metro services are available during the relaxed period of 6 am to 10 am. Cinema halls, swimming pools, amusement parks and gyms will be shut down during the lockdown.

For strict enforcement of the lockdown, special check posts would be set up on the borders of the state.

The Public Distribution System (Ration Shops) will be opened from 6 am to 10 am and LPG supply of the cylinders would continue as usual.

The decision, however, attracted criticism from social activists for not giving enough time for some people to go to their native places from Hyderabad. The High Court had also questioned the government on its decision of not giving sufficient time to the people. "Till 10 am, the government did not even think of such a move," the court commented.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi in a tweet commented: "The decision is at variance with Chief Minister KCR's earlier stand that there will be no lockdown as it results in financial stagnation."

EXEMPTIONS

♦ Works related to agriculture produce, allied sectors, works undertaken with Agriculture Machines, Running of rice mills, Transport of paddy and rice, supplying paddy to FCI, fertiliser and seeds shops, seed manufacturing companies, and other agri-based sectors

♦ To continue purchase of paddy

♦ Pharmaceutical companies, companies manufacturing medical equipment, medical distributors, medical shops, all types of medical and health services, government and private hospitals, their staff. The staff and employees of these sectors would be given special passes and are allowed with their vehicles

♦ Supply of drinking water, sanitation works in rural and urban

♦ Power generation, distribution and their allied services Transportation on national highways

♦ Petrol pumps on national highways.

♦ Warehousing and cold storage activities

♦ Print and Electronic Media are exempted.

♦ EGS works are exempted

♦ Government offices would work with 33 per cent staff

♦ Banks and ATMs would also work

♦ Only 40 members are allowed for marriage

♦ For funeral rites 20 persons are allowed

♦ To set up check posts on Telangana borders

♦ Public transport like RTC, Metro available only during 6 am-10 am

♦ Public Distribution System open from 6 am to 10 am

♦ LPG supply of the cylinders would continue To close down

♦ cinema halls, swimming pools, clubs, gyms, amusement parks, and sports stadia.