Enamul Hafiz Latifee reports,
Telangana Chief Minister Kalvakuntla Chandrashekhar Rao on Monday, 06 April 2020 requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to extend COVID-19 lockdown, terming it was necessary to save the lives of people.
The 21-day national lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus in the country came into effect on March 25 and is set to end on April 14. But Chief Minister Rao cautioned that if the lockdown is lifted it could trigger large casualties in the state.
“I am for the lockdown of the country furthermore after April 15. Because we can revamp the economy of the country and the state at a later stage, but we cannot bring back the lives of the people who could die in large numbers, if the lockdown is lifted,” he said.
He argued it will be easier said than done to control people if the lockdown is lifted or eased. “I appeal to the Honourable Prime Minister, to the Government of India, please extend the lockdown without any hesitation,” he said.
“All the efforts we had put in all these days, braving financial loss, would go waste if the situation comes back to square one due to the lockdown being eased,” the CM added. CM Rao further said, “Consult everybody, discuss with every Chief Minister, have a video conference with the entire country, but take a conscious decision. Because we have no other weapon in India to contain this terrible virus.”
Last week, Rao announced huge pay cuts for ministers, MLAs and government employees amid shrinking earnings. The government had not said how long the pay cuts would remain.