Social Distancing in Construction Work, e-Education Syllabus: UP Govt Gears up for Extended Lockdown

Lucknow: A day after a meeting via video conferencing with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced the formation of committees that would look into the several measures to be adopted during the extended lockdown.

All state ministers are expected to come to work from Monday following which they are going to be assigned specific tasks during the lockdown period.

In an address on Sunday evening, Adityanath said the conditions to be followed during and after the lockdown were discussed at a meeting with cabinet ministers.

The 21-day nationwide lockdown imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus is scheduled to come to an end on April 15. Most of the states have decided to extend the lockdown in view of the rising number of cases.

“Everyone present at the meeting unanimously agreed that it was due to the decisions of the PM that the country was saved from a pandemic-like situation from the coronavirus to a certain extent. In future too, we will abide by the guidelines laid down by the central government.”

“We have constituted committees that will work after April 15. The committees have been given specific tasks. One such panel, led by Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, will ensure that social distancing is followed in construction-related work and other activities, including on the Expressway,” he said.

Another committee, headed by Deputy CM Dinesh Sharma, will take care of the syllabus for online education in the state.

He said a large numbers of poor people, including farmers, in the state received money in their bank accounts during the lockdown. Life insurances worth Rs 50 lakh have also been provided to health workers as well police personnel and home guards, the CM said.

“More than 3.54 crore families of the state have been given free ration in the first phase of the curfew,” he added.

Adityanath also urged religious leaders to ensure that social distancing is maintained during upcoming festivals. “I know there are events like Baisakhi and Ramzan. I would request all religious leaders to urge people not to gather for any kind public function as social distancing must be practised,” he said.

Meanwhile, 31 news COVID-19 cases were reported in the state on Sunday, taking the total number of confirmed cases 483.

The maximum numbers of positive patients were reported from Agra with 109 patients, followed by Gautam Buddh Nagar with 64 positive patients. As many as 58 patients have been found positive for the virus in Meerut, 32 people in Lucknow and 27 people in Ghaziabad.

The state has also registered five deaths each from Basti, Varanasi, Agra, Meerut and Bulandshehar districts.