Covid-19 second wave: BJP CMs favour lockdown disguised as curfew

This despite the prime minister suggesting such a move be the last resort to curb the spread of Covid-19

In early April, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told chief ministers in an interaction that lockdowns were a tool of last resort in handling the Covid-19 pandemic and entirely avoidable if a strategy of micro-containment was followed. He followed this up with similar advice on April 20 when he repeated his suggestion that micro-containment should be the preferred option.

But either the PM’s advisers were out of touch with the reality on the ground or it was an unworkable suggestion: Because within days of the PM’s advice, several states ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — and the opposition — resorted to precisely this measure to curb the rates of infection in their state.

Most states have termed these curfews, but the curbs are akin to a lockdown. Gujarat was the only BJP-ruled exception that followed the PM’s lead faithfully. Although the state continues to report around 10,000 new cases every day, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has ruled out a lockdown, despite the Indian Medical Association (IMA) almost begging for one. Health Minister Nitin Patel said: “Night curfew is in place in 20 cities. Several cities, towns, villages, municipalities, organisations, and associations have decided to observe voluntary lockdown… We are discussing with experts and what they are saying is to wear masks, maintain social distancing, and wash hands. If these are followed, there is no need for a lockdown… Lockdown can be useful for breaking the chain but it will affect the employment of lakhs of people, their earnings and their businesses.”

Comments

Best Unconventional Workout and Sporting Activities for Summer

In summers, depending upon conditions and circumstances one can incorporate both outdoor and indoor activities in their training schedule. Summer is the season of holidays, picnics, outings and beaches. With travel and binge eating proper workout becomes that much more essential in summers. But with heat and the sun outdoors, an individual has to balance his indoor and outdoor activities to get a fulfilling workout. In summers, depending upon conditions and circumstances one can incorporate both outdoor and indoor activities in their training schedule. Mentioned below are some of the best physical and sporting activities that one can use as a workout to stay fit in the summer season. Beach Sports - If in summers one is going to spend much time on beaches or at a beach destination then one may use beach sporting activities such as beach rugby, beach soccer, beach tennis and beach volleyball to stay fit. All of these sporting activities on sand provide a ...

Crypto exchange Binance temporarily suspends payments from EU's key network

Cryptocurrency exchange Binance will temporarily suspend euro bank deposits from one of Europe’s key payments networks, it said in an email sent to users (Reuters) -Cryptocurrency exchange Binance will temporarily suspend euro bank deposits from one of Europe’s key payments networks, it said in an email sent to users on Tuesday. The email said that from 8 a.m. universal coordinated time on Wednesday, customers would no longer be able to deposit funds through the Single Euro Payments Area, or SEPA, schemes. The move was due to “events beyond our control”, the exchange said in the email. “Any deposits attempted via SEPA in the meantime will be returned within 7 working days. SEPA withdrawals are unaffected by this suspension”, Binance said. The development was reported earlier by the Financial Times. The network, which is a European Union project that aims to harmonise euro payments across the region, allows consumers to send euros across three dozen countries. Binance typically ac...

‘Farmers will get justice’, says member of SC panel on farm laws Ghanwat

Included in the four-member committee set-up by the Supreme Court to hold talks with the farmers agitating over the new farm laws, Anil Ghanwat said that “protesting farmers will get justice” Included in the four-member committee set-up by the Supreme Court to hold talks with the farmers agitating over the new farm laws, Anil Ghanwat on Tuesday said that “protesting farmers will get justice.” The Supreme Court on January 12 stayed the implementation of three farm laws and tasked the committee of experts to listen to grievances of the farmers on the farm laws and the views of the government and submit its report to the court within two months. Anil Ghanwat, president of the Shetkari Sanghatana, a Maharashtra-based farmer organisation told ANI, “This movement should stop somewhere and a law should be made in the interest of farmers. First we need to listen to farmers, if they had some misconception about Minimum Support Price (MSP) and Agricultural Produce Market Commit...

Budget 2018-19

Search This Blog