Urges them to ensure that migrant labour, students from other states get basic facilities.
Hyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked the chief ministers of the coronavirus affected states to see that public movement from one place to another is prevented to the maximum extent. PM Modi spoke to several CMs on Friday morning and urged them to see that migrant labour and students from other states in their respective areas be provided with basic facilities during the lockdown.
The PM’s suggestion is chiefly based on the limitations of the country’s ability to deal with the situation if the virus outbreak reaches community spreading on a magnitude which cannot be managed. The PM has explained the circumstances which forced the Centre to declare the nationwide lockdown till 14 April. This was the only way to avoid a major healthcare crisis, the PM told the CMs.
This was revealed by Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao who held a media conference later in the day 1qwhere he announced several steps to assure all help to people from other states. “We will see that not a single person from other states suffered during this lockdown period. They (outsiders) can rest assured to this effect,” the Chief Minister said.
KCR mentioned categories of people on this occasion—migrant labour from Bihar and students from Andhra Pradesh. These people came out on streets in large numbers in the last two days and insisted that they be provided transport to go back to their homes. But, as per the lockdown norms, no inter-state vehicle will be allowed and permission denied.
Expressing concern over these outsiders roaming on streets in crowds seeking governmental help to return home, Prime Minister Modi urged the CMs to see that their problem was solved—by offering adequate shelter and food during the lockdown. In most cases, these people were asked by their landlords or hostel owners to vacate their places till the situation normalised.
“As the PM told me in the morning, the Centre would extend all help to states and we will also see that enough food and other basic facilities are provided to these people. After all, they are our own Indians and we have a responsibility towards them. I asked all the hostel owners not to keep feeding their inmates and there was no disruption of services,” KCR said.
On Thursday, around 2,000 students belonging to Andhra Pradesh now residing in Kukatpally areas of Hyderabad came out in large numbers and demanded that they be allowed to go home. The police had to struggle to issue passes and take them to the state borders 240 km from here. However, the Andhra Pradesh government has refused to allow them back as they posed some degree of health risk. Finally, they had to stay in the city.
Buoyed by the PM’s assurance, KCR had announced converting a giant sport stadium at Gachibowli in Hyderabad into a Covid-19 isolation ward. This single stadium can accommodate around 5,000 beds and take the state’s capacity to isolate around 12,500 persons. The state is also planning to acquire around 500 ventilators and arrange 7000 ICU wards for the virus affected.
“Developed nations like the US, China and Germany are struggling to arrange enough ventilators and ICU beds for their people. But, we are confident of meeting this testing times and extend our services even if 10,000 people are tested positive,” KCR said. As of now, six testing laboratories are in Telangana and two more are expected to be added.
As per the original schedule announced by KCR, the lockdown was to end by 31 March, but now it is being extended till 14 April. “We are now at a critical stage where the virus is likely to spread among communities; so a few more days of care and precaution would help us. I request the public not to test the patience levels of police force by coming out on the streets,” the CM said.
Another point of relief to the CM was the peaceful passing of Friday prayers at mosques in Hyderabad. It was feared that there would be a big problem if Muslims thronged the streets in crowds for the prayers, but the appeals made by the government as well as by AIMIM leader and MP Asaduddin Owaisi to Muslims urging them to stay indoors yielded results.
The government also has cancelled a major Hindu festival Ugadi—new year for Telugu speaking people on 25 March. Usually, crowds gather to witness Ugadi celebrations, but this time, the government has permitted only a handful of persons at select places. Before that, on Sunday, Christians, too, refrained from Church prayers.