India appears to be headed for more stringent lockdowns to rein in the massive surge in deadly coronavirus infections as both medical experts and apex industry chambers are giving fresh feedbacks to the Centre.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi while urging the states to avoid blanket lockdowns that would cripple the economy and hit livelihoods has also maintained all along that the government would go by the advice of medical experts in formulating its policy to tackle the devastating pandemic.
Dr Guleria said the ferocity with which the virus was spreading is unprecedented, and night curfews and weekend lockdowns, such as those enforced by Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Haryana and other states, were proving to be ineffectual.
"We have to work aggressively to bring this number down. No healthcare system in the world can manage this kind of load. The issue of aggressive containment or lockdown holds the key," Dr Guleria said on television.
Similarly, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) president Uday Kotak, has said authorities should curtail economic activity to snap the transmission chain of coronavirus infections.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had imposed one of the most stringent lockdowns in the world during the first Covid-19 wave but has increasingly left it to the states to act more locally this year amid concerns of large scale disruptions of livelihoods.
He has already provided for free food grains to the poor and this would be stepped up in the days ahead with stricter lockdowns, a senior official said.
The Supreme Court of India on Sunday, 2 May, had also advised the central and state governments to consider a lockdown to break the chain of Covid-19 transmission.
"At the same time, we would seriously urge the Central and State Governments to consider imposing a ban on mass gatherings and super spreader events. They may also consider imposing a lockdown to curb the virus in the second wave in the interest of public welfare," the apex court stated.
India reported a staggering 392,488 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, 2 May, with the number of deaths shooting up by a record 3,689.
(This story was published from a syndicated feed. Only the headline and picture has been edited by FIT).
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