The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Tuesday issued an order under the Disaster Management Act directing Chairman, National Executive Committee, that existing lockdown measures be continued to be implemented in all parts of the country till May 3. Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla is the chairman of the committee.
Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba will hold a videoconference on Wednesday with Chief Secretaries of all States to discuss the future road map in the wake of the extended lockdown.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address to the nation on Tuesday, announced that the lockdown measures imposed to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic would have to be extended till May 3.
“In pursuance of this announcement, the Government of India has issued directions to all the Ministries/Departments of Government of India, State/Union Territory governments and authorities, that the lockdown measures stipulated in the Consolidated Guidelines of MHA, for containment of COVID-19 pandemic in the country, will continue to remain in force up to May 3, 2020,” a statement by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said.
The MHA has issued the order to all States and UTs in this regard. According to the order, with the extension of the lockdown, all restrictions that have been imposed in various sectors, and on various activities, will continue to remain in force.
The communication says that as per the orders issued by the MHA under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the States and Union Territories cannot dilute restrictions imposed via the guidelines.
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The first set of such guidelines to be followed by States for “containment of COVID-19 epidemic” was issued on March 24 under the DM Act, 2005, invoked for the first time in the country.
Earlier the MHA had allowed manufacture/production, transport and other related supply-chain activities in respect of essential goods like foodstuff, medicines and medical equipment.
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