Mizoram govt contemplating to extend lockdown

The Mizoram government is

contemplating to extend the ongoing 21-day lockdown in the state after receiving an "informal suggestion" from a medical panel it had set up to fight the contagion, a senior official said on Tuesday.

The nationwide lockdown was imposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 25 to break the chain of coronavirus transmission and it was scheduled to be lifted on April 15.

The state government is weighing between the necessity of extending the lockdown and its possible social and economic repercussion, the official said adding that a decision is likely to be taken by the end of this week.

 

Mizoram has so far reported one positive COVID-19 case.

"The medical operational team constituted to tackle the deadly virus has informally suggested to the state-level task force that the lockdown should be extended for 14 more days beyond April 14," he said.

Ruling Mizo National Front legislator Dr ZR Thiamsanga, who heads the medical operational team, had said an extension of the lockdown for 14 days is required to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus in Mizoram which does not have a good medical infrastructure.

Though the state-level task force headed by the chief secretary is yet to receive the proposal formally, discussions have already started on this among top bureaucrats, the official said.

"Several issues, including the economic condition of daily wage labourers, traders and farmers have come up during the discussions," he said.

No doubt the government is in favour of the extension, but looking at the inconvenience faced by the people as a whole, declaration of total lockdown is unlikely as people, including government employees, may not withstand the restrictions for long, the official said.

"The government is studying the feasibility of the extension and the final decision is likely to be taken by this weekend," he said.

Vice-chairman of health and family welfare board, Z R Thiamsanga, earlier said prevention is the best way to keep safe a small state like Mizoram where good medical infrastructure is absent.