Kejriwal asks for extension, tells PM state-wise lockdown ‘not effective’ as Delhi hotspots up at 30

As Delhi scrambles to contain the Coronavirus outbreak sealing 30 COVID-19 hotspots, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday, during a video conference, urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to extend the pan-India lockdown till April 30 to fight the pandemic.

Kejriwal was among several chief ministers who participated in a video conference with PM Modi to discuss an exit strategy and possible extension of lockdown amid a spurt in the number of Coronavirus cases.

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Kejriwal said the decision should be taken at the national level as a state-level decision might “not be much effective.”

“If the states decide the length of the lockdown on their own, then the fight against the coronavirus won’t be effective,” said the Chief Minister.

He added that even if the lockdown is eased, “the transportation should not be opened including movement by road, rail or air.”

The 21-day lockdown announced by the Prime Minister on March 24 has banned all rail, road and air travel. Only essentials services have been allowed to operate during the period.

Kejriwal’s request comes as Delhi has reported the third highest number of Coronavirus cases in the country with 903 active cases and 13 deaths till Saturday. More than 180 cases came in just 24 hours.

Majority of the cases in Delhi have links to the Tablighi Jamaat event at Nizamuddin held in March.

The chief minister further told the Prime Minister that Delhi will follow the Centre on the lockdown but would need two weeks to make the national capital’s containment zones airtight after each and every contact of the Tablighi Jamaat has been verified and quarantined.

Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus containment zones in Delhi rose to 30 on Friday with the government sealing seven new areas where COVID-19 positive cases were reported.

While 20 initial hotspots were identified by the state government initially, a few areas like Sadar Bazar zone and Bengali Market were added later. Authorities have added Gali no. 18 to 22 of Zakir Nagar and nearby area of Abu Bakar Masjid as buffer zone; E Pocket of GTB Enclave; some blocks in old Seemapuri area and Chandni Mahal and Nabi Karim in Central district.

The area in and around G-174, Capital Greens, DLF in Motinagar has also been declared as a hotspot.

The Delhi Chief Minister has also announced ‘Operation SHIELD’ to fight Covid-19 in the national capital.

SHIELD stands for sealing, home quarantine, isolation and tracing, essential supply, local sanitation and door-to-door checks. This will be implemented across all hotspots or containment zones.

The 21-day lockdown, declared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24, is slated to end on April 14.

However, there are speculations that the lockdown may be extended as majority of the states and several experts have urged for the same.

India has till Saturday recorded 7447 cases of Coronavirus with 239 fatalities.

On Friday, Punjab became the second state after Odisha to extend the 21-day lockdown till May 1 in the wake of growing number of cases of the Coronavirus.

However, the lockdown in the state will be lifted for farmers in view of the upcoming harvest season.

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said the ongoing lockdown should continue, while noting that predictions by health experts about the spread of the pandemic are “horrendous and frightening”.