No Plan to Extend 21-day Lockdown: Govt

 

New Delhi: Amid lockdown to combat the coronavirus threat and migrants returning home after they failed to get buses to leave for their home towns reports of extension of 21-day Coronavirus Lockdown are coming out.

However, the Centre on Monday termed such reports of extension of the 21-day lockdown as baseless.

The lockdown was announced by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to arrest the spread of the novel coronavirus that has so far claimed 27 lives in the country and infected over 1,000 people.

According to PIB, there are rumours and media reports, claiming that the Government will extend the Lockdown when it expires. The Cabinet Secretary has denied these reports, and stated that they are baseless.

Earlier, Rajiv Gauba, Cabinet Secretary, had also denied such reports, saying that he was “surprised” to see them. “There is no such plan of extending the lockdown,” he clarified.

Last Tuesday, PM Modi announced the three-week “total lockdown” to break the chain of transmission of the virus. Following the lockdown, there has been a massive exodus of migrant workers from big cities to their villages after being rendered jobless.

The government’s clarification also comes ahead of the Supreme Court hearing a petition filed on Monday on the exodus of migrant workers.