Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday urged the chief ministers of seven states, which are contributing maximum number of Covid-19 cases, to reassess if local lockdowns are effective. The chief ministers of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Punjab attended the meeting.
About 60 districts in these seven states are “a cause of worry”, the PM said. The PM also emphasised that micro-containment zones might be the way out of the situation.
What are local lockdowns?
Though India is now in the fourth phase of unlocking, local lockdowns are going on at several places. Local lockdowns are restrictions for one or two days when all economic activities, exempting the essential one, are shut. West Bengal, for example, imposed such local lockdowns in August during Unlock 3.
In September, the states mostly discontinued with local lockdowns as economic activities have started to pick momentum. section 144, which bars the gathering of four and more people, are in place in some cities, including Mumbai, Noida etc. Chattisgarh has recently imposed lockdowns in 10 districts.
What are micro-containment zones?
Micro-containment zones are specific areas where a number of Covid-19 cases have been reported in the recent times. Identifying these areas — which might be as small as a building — and isolating them instead of a bigger area will not stop economic activities as well.
In its Unlock 4 guideline, the ministry of home affairs specifically mentioned that states would not be able to impose local restrictions without consulting the Centre
