Telangana becomes first state to extend lockdown till May 29

HYDERABAD: The central government imposed the third phase of the nationwide lockdown given the Covid-19 pandemic with some relaxations. However, in view of the rising cases in the state, the Government of Telangana announced that the ongoing lockdown has been extended till May 29. K Chandrashekar Rao, Chief Minister, Telangana, said that the lockdown has been extended to avoid a further rise in the coronavirus graph.

According to the new rules of the extended lockdown, the general public is permitted to move out of their houses between 7 am and 7 pm. However, there will be a curfew in the state from 7 pm till 7 am. If anyone is found outside for non-essential activities during curfew, the police will initiate action. Moreover, the government advised people above 65 years of age to not come out of their houses unless it is a medical emergency. Children are not allowed to move out of the house either.

“We are fully equipped with medical equipment. We are ready to face any eventuality. People should cooperate with us,” news agency PTI quoted K Chandrashekar Rao as saying.

With this, Telangana becomes the first state in the country to extend the lockdown post-May 17. The extension of the lockdown has been given based on the experiences of other state s, where certain relaxations during the current phase of the lockdown led to chaos as many people rushed to nearby shops and public places. This is an obvious health hazard and carries the immense potential to push the country into the ‘community transmission’ phase of the Covid-19 pandemic.