Saving lives my priority; Punjab CM on lifting curfew

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Asserting that saving lives is his first priority, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday said any decision on lifting curfew after May 3 would be taken only on the advice of the expert committee set up to examine the issue.

"I would go by the advice of the expert committee, set up to formulate Punjab's lockdown exit strategy in the matter of opening up the state," he said.

During a webinar with leading industrialists, economic experts and diplomats and ambassadors of various countries, the chief minister said any decision on lifting the lockdown or curfew would be taken on the basis of the recommendations of the 20-member expert committee, which is expected to submit its report on Saturday.

Reiterating that "his priority was saving lives of Punjabis", the chief minister said the life of my Punjabis is more important.

"Factories can be restarted but we can't get people back," he said.

If the expert committee, which includes medical experts and doctors, recommends opening up of curfew, either partially or completely, we will do so, he said, in response to questions.

I will go by their advice, he declared, but made it clear that the health of the people was the priority, even though the state government was aware that the lockdown could not be kept in place indefinitely.

Pointing out that Punjab had witnessed three peaks in the COVICD-19 curve in the past 40 days, the chief minister said it may not be possible to lift the lockdown completely for some more time, but the state will examine the recommendations of the expert committee and the prevailing ground situation.

Curfew was imposed in Punjab on March 23 in the wake of outbreak of Coronavirus which has claimed 17 lives in the state so far.