More areas of India came under lockdown on Monday as the battle against Covid-19 entered a decisive phase with the governments of Maharashtra and Punjab imposing curfew across their states. Regimes like the Pinarayi Vijayan government in India’s second worst hit state Kerala – which had dithered on Centre’s directive to impose a lockdown in 10 affected districts just 24 hours ago – also decided to follow other states on Monday by ordering complete shutdown of the state till March 31.
Other states where total lockdown was imposed on Monday were Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Assam and Manipur. On Sunday, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Chandigarh, Rajasthan, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram had ordered total lockdown.
According to information provided by the Centre, 28 governments have imposed complete lockdown in the entire state/ Union territory, covering 548 districts. Another three governments have brought certain areas in the states under lockdown, covering total 58 districts.
Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray imposed a curfew in the entire state with immediate effect on Monday after imposition of Section 144 of CrPC in urban areas a day earlier proved to be ineffective with private vehicles back on the street in large numbers. “We are forced to impose a curfew in the state. Also, the use of private vehicles, taxis and autoriskshaws will be restricted only to the extent of procuring essential commodities, health services and other emergency reasons," he said. Only one person besides the driver will be allowed in private vehicles.
Justifying the strict measures while referring to the ‘janata curfew’ on Sunday for which PM Narendra Modi had given a call, Thackeray said: “We are putting these restrictions only for some time and for the benefit of the state. By beating thalis we have not killed the virus, this is a turning point in the fight against this virus." The CM said that most religious places have shut their doors to visitors “and the ones which haven’t will also be shut from today”.
Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh also announced state-wide “full curfew with no relaxations”. In a tweet, he said: “The DCs have been asked to issue orders accordingly. Any person required to be given relaxation will be so allowed specifically for given period and purpose.”
