Tamil Nadu: Due to increasing coronavirus cases, govt puts 4 districts under total lockdown

Chennai central during lockdown imposed in March(Source: News 18)

The Tamil Nadu government on Monday decided to once again impose a total lockdown in four districts, including Chennai, from June 19 to June 30, in the wake of the rising caseloads registered there.

https://twitter.com/ShivAroor/status/1272470997338210304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

The precipitous rise in the number of coronavirus cases prompted the government to reinforce lockdown in four districts-Chennai, Kancheepuram, Thiruvallur and Chengalpet districts of Tamil Nadu. The decision was taken in the cabinet meeting but details on the guidelines are yet to be released.

Done on the advise of experts

The move came amidst suggestions from experts to tighten lockdown restrictions that were eased as the country unwinded itself from the coronavirus-induced lockdown starting June 1. The experts advised the state government to curb the relaxations that were granted in the backdrop of the alarming rise of coronavirus cases in the state.

“We recommended how relaxations can be tightened to stop the spread among the general public. The government will consider it and discuss it in the Cabinet meeting before deciding on the issue,” P. Kuganantham, one of the experts in the panel, had told reporters.

The COVID-19 cases in Tamil Nadu have rapidly surged to 44,000 after the restrictions were eased as a part of the government’s measure to revive the economy as a part of ‘Unlock-1’. While Delhi and Tamil Nadu have been reporting almost 2000 cases a day, Maharashtra, on the other hand, has been reporting 3000-3500 daily spikes.

No plans for restrictions in Delhi

As the Tamil Nadu government has taken cognisance of the frightening rise of the infection in the state, the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi has been nonchalant about the dangerous upsurge of the contagion that has rocked the national capital. Rejecting the rumours of lockdown in Delhi as unfounded, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal today tweeted that there is no such plan of lockdown to be implemented in Delhi as of now.

https://twitter.com/ArvindKejriwal/status/1272448552870899712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Delhi has been third worst hit by the menace of coronavirus and the tally of infected stands at around 41,000 in the national capital. Reports of Delhi hospitals being overwhelmed with caseloads have been doing rounds and there are also reports of scarcity of burial spaces for Muslims casualties.

OpIndia Staff: Staff reporter at OpIndia