Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Apr 6: The Prime Minister's office has been pooling opinions from all the states on lifting of lockdown or continuing with it. It is learnt that the state government and the committee of experts of the task force here have held contradicting views on the issue. While the state government has favoured withdrawal of lockdown in a phased manner, the experts committee strongly feels that there is a need to continue the restrictions at least till this month end lest it fears, the efforts made so far might go down the drain.

The director of National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences here had been given the responsibility of pooling opinions of experts in the task force. The committee has strongly recommended continuance of the restrictions till April 30. At the same time, it has asked the government to take a suitable decision after holding consultations with the experts in the field of economics.

The task force has done its work appreciably. But for a number of patients connected with Tablighi Jamaat at Nizamuddin Delhi and employees of a pharmaceutical company at Nanjangud, the numbers in the state would have been bare minimum.

The government feels that restriction on malls and cinema houses could be continued and lockdown and ban on transportation should be enforced in districts where the infection is severe. Twenty-five percent hotels where social distancing can be enforced may be permitted to open. Factories can be allowed to employ 25 percent of workforce on duty on alternative days. It also plans to postpone academic activity.

The central government, as per a work plan prepared by health department, wants to convert areas having high incidence of disease into buffer zones which will remain under lockdown. Movement of vehicles and people would be stopped, all offices, businesses, schools and colleges would be closed. These restrictions would be withdrawn only if not a single new case emerges for four consecutive weeks. There are also plans to treat people having light symptoms in stadiums and others with complicated issues in hospitals for optimum use of available resources.