Curbs could be lifted in green zones: Kishan Reddy

Minister of state for Home Kishan Reddy on Wednesday indicated that the central government could lift restrictions in green zones, while continuing the complete lockdown in the red zones.

Addressing a press conference, Kishan Reddy said there will not be any movement of public transport vehicles like buses, restriction on flight movement will continue and train services will remain cancelled. He said the government is likely to take a decision on lift curbs in green zones soon. “There could be graded lifting of the pan-India lockdown. Restrictions may be lifted in green zone areas while tough curbs may continue in red zone areas identified as hotspots.”

During the fourth video-conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a majority of the CMs wanted the lockdown to continue after May 3 and told the PM that some economic activity should be started slowly. The state declared around 573 mandals as green zones, 56 red, 47 orange zones by the state government. The government identified 133 containment clusters’ in 11 districts of the state and sounded a red alert to contain the spread of corona virus.

In the third video-conference with Modi, Jagan politely shot down the prospect for further extension of complete lockdown to contain the spread of Covid-19, resisting a step that most other states in the country, including Telangana have already taken. “We should take bold steps, but we have to ensure the wheel of economy keeps moving if not in full speed at least to the level of sustenance of the people,” Jagan told Modi in the video-conference. “In my opinion, the lockdown should be enforced only in the red zones,” he said.

On the return of Andhra Pradesh fishermen who were stranded in Gujarat, Kishan Reddy said while Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani he called Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. “The Home Ministry spoke to to the Chief Ministers of Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh and we have made arrangements to do health check-ups and then shift them home.” TDP president and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu also wrote a letter to Vijay Rupani expressing concern that more than 4,000 fishermen were stranded at the Veraval fishing harbor in Gujarat’s Gir Somanath. The fishermen, mostly from Vishakaptnam Srikakulam and Vizianagaram, were eager to return to their native districts and their family members were a worried lot, Naidu wrote.