U'khand govt seeks extension of lockdown

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Saturday sought extension of the lockdown in Uttarakhand till April 30 and suggested a partial lifting of restrictions on public movement in districts that have not reported any cases of COVID-19.

The state government has also submitted a detailed lockdown exit policy to the Centre, official sources said.

Rawat's lockdown exit plan seeks a partial relaxation of the restriction on the movement of people in districts which are not affected by the deadly virus.

The emphasis on uninterrupted supply of essentials and maintaining social distancing during the lockdown remains intact in the exit policy even as it proposes stricter norms for identified hotspots in the state located mostly in Dehradun and Haridwar districts.

Rawat, who interacted with Prime Minister Narendra Modi via video conference on Saturday,said the Centre's guidelines will arrive in a day or two, and asked officials to ensure they are fully complied with.

The chief minister asked officials to ensure there is no misbehaviour with frontline healthcare workers and police personnel on duty during the lockdown.

More and more people should be inspired to download the COVID-19 tracking Arogya Mobile App as it is highly useful, Rawat said, adding that the prime minister wants more focused efforts to battle the pandemic.

COVID-19 testing facilities should also be ramped up if required, he said.

There has not been any casualty due to the novel coronavirus in Uttarakhand so far where 35 people have tested positive for the disease. Five of them have been cured and discharged.