At PM-CMs meet, Rupani favours gradual lifting of lockdown
Ahmedabad, Apr 27 () Gujarat Chief Minister VijayRupani favoured a gradual lifting of the coronavirus-enforcednationwide lockdown during interaction of CMs with PrimeMinister Narendra Modi on Monday through video-conferencing,said an official here.
Rupani maintained that interests of daily wagelabourers, small as well as big shop owners and self-earningpeople should be kept in mind if the lockdown is extendedbeyond May 3, he said.
"Lockdown needs to be gradually lifted. The state willfollow the Centre's guidelines and lift the lockdown in agradual and step-by-step manner, depending on the number of(COVID-19) cases going down (in different areas), secretaryin the Chief Ministers Office, Ashwani Kumar, told reporters,quoting Rupani telling the meeting via video link.
Gujarat, with 3,301 novel coronavirus cases and 151deaths so far, is second only to Maharashtra on both counts inthe country.
Kumar said at the PM-CMs meeting, Rupani gave detailsregarding how Gujarat is fighting the virus and decisionstaken to open some sectors of the economy (outside containmentzones & COVID-19 hotspots) to bring the life back to normalcy.
Rupani presented a detailed picture of how Gujarat isfighting against coronavirus. He said the state is testingextensively and conducting detailed survey and surveillance(to detect positive cases) in big cities, Kumar said.
Rupani informed that the state has 61 dedicatedCOVID-19 hospitals which have 10,500 beds with required numberof ICUs and ventilators.
"We will increase the number of beds in a week to22,500 in our COVID-19 Care Centres, he said, quoting thechief minister.
The chief minister told the meeting that Gujarat isanalysing reasons for high COVID-19 fatality rate as 151people have died so far, which comes to 4.57 per cent (oftotal cases), more than the national average of 3.07 per cent.
We are analysing the cause of death rate in Gujaratdue to COVID-19. The pattern that has emerged is that 85 percent of those who have died had co-morbid conditions (pre-existing illnesses), Rupani told the meeting.
Rupani said three districts of the state have so farnot recorded any COVID-19 case, while 18 districts have onlysingle digit cases. So the situation is under control in these21 districts, the CMO official informed.
The chief minister apprised the meeting about thedecisions taken by the state government to ease the lockdown,imposed in late March, in select areas, Kumar said.
He informed the meeting about relaxations given tofarmers for crop harvesting and other activities, and also tofishermen.
"Rupani informed about starting industries in ruralareas, permission given to construction projects in urbanareas with conditions and opening of standalone shops, Kumarsaid.
Modi held a video-conference with the chief ministersof various states and Union territories to discuss thesituation arising in the country due to the COVID-19 outbreakand the lockdown imposed to stem its spread. PDRSY RSY