Not in favour of complete lockdown but will consider harsh measures: Punjab CM
Coronavirus Punjab: Even as he made it clear that he was not in favour of a complete and harsh lockdown, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday warned people against laxity in adherence to the curbs imposed in the state, and said if the situation did not improve he would be forced to consider a total lockdown.
Captain Amarinder Singh said he had so far refrained from ordering a sweeping lockdown in Punjab because it will hurt the poor the most and would lead to an exodus of migrant labourers, plunging industries into chaos again.
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However, if the people do not stringently comply with the restrictions in place, harsher steps might have to be taken, he added.
The state is currently in a soft lockdown situation, with strong curbs in place, with additional restrictions imposed by the government on Sunday. DGP Dinkar Gupta told the meeting that all measures were being taken to enforce the current curbs strictly.
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The Chief Minister also ordered a stop on all takeaway deliveries from restaurants, which was being used by youngsters as a pretext to move out of their homes. Only home deliveries of food should be allowed, he directed the officials. He, however, gave permission for shops selling fertilisers to be open.
Asserting that he will not allow Punjab to go the way of some other states, where patients could be seen lying out on the roads, Chief Minister said Industry should be encouraged to use their CSR funds for vaccination and treatment of their labour suffering from mild or moderate illness, so that they can stay at home, thus reducing pressure on hospitals.
Underlining the need to step up preparedness amid projections of a peak in the coming days, the Chief Minister ordered a 20 percent increase in bed capacity in the next 10 days.
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