The situation is very “Critical”and worrisome.. 6-day lockdown in Delhi
NEW DELHI : Delhi has been placed under lockdown from tonight till next Monday morning (April 26), Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Monday. The restrictions will remain in place from 10 PM tonight till 5 AM next Monday. CM Kejriwal said that city’s health system is under stress, adding that hospitals are facing shortage of oxygen and ICU beds.
“In order to prevent a total collapse, L-G Anil Baijal and I took this decision. And in this duration, essential services will be allowed and more beds will also be set up,” the Chief Minister said. “I won’t say our health system has collapsed but it is at an alarming stage due to the resurgence,” Kejriwal further said, adding the overall situation in the city was critical.
It was also decided in the meeting that Mr Baijal, who represents the centre in Delhi, would write to the central government for more beds in the city. The Lieutenant Governor is also expected to write to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister for more oxygen.
Mr Baijal asked in the meeting that concerns related to migrant labourers be looked into. Migrant workers were the worst hit this time last year when the nation went into a lockdown, leaving thousands deprived of their earnings and homes. “I appeal to all that this is a small lockdown of six days. Please don’t leave Delhi. I assure you that the government will look after you,” said the Chief Minister.
The decision to impose lockdown was taken during a meeting attended by CM Kejriwal, L-G Anil Baijal, Delhi Police Commissioner SN Srivastava, Delhi’s deputy CM Manish Sisodia, Health Minister Satyendra Jain and other officials. According to sources a decision on extending the curfew for one more week was proposed by Kejriwal which the L-G approved. The city government had last week announced curfew on weekend to arrest the spread of virus.
Announcing a six-day lockdown in Delhi from 10 pm tonight to 5 am next Monday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the move was necessary as rising Covid cases had severely strained the city’s resources and its health system was at a tipping point. Delhi is the worst-hit city in India with 25,500 fresh cases on Sunday and almost one-third of those tested returning positive. In the last 24 hours, the number of cases remain high despite a dip — 23,500.
“I appeal to Delhiites to follow lockdown which is necessary to reduce COVID cases. We will improve health system during this time,” he said. The Chief Minister also appealed to migrant workers not to leave Delhi during ‘small lockdown’. “Delhi’s health system is at a breaking point. I will not say it has collapsed but the Covid situation is pretty critical,” Arvind Kejriwal said in a televised address, asserting that the lockdown decision was not an easy one.
“I have always been against a lockdown. I believe the lockdown will not finish the virus, but it will reduce the transmission rate. It will give us time to boost our infrastructure. We will use this week-long lockdown to improve our healthcare,” he added. Delhi is facing acute shortages of hospital beds, medical oxygen supplies and key medicines such as the anti-viral Remdesivir, said Mr Kejriwal. “If we don’t enforce a lockdown now, Delhi could be staring at a “bigger disaster,” he explained. All shops and businesses will be shut and movement will be limited to essential services.
(With Agency Inputs).
