Shivraj govt seals Bhopal, Indore & Ujjain amid Covid rise; Kamal Nath questions ESMA

After an alarming surge in number of COVID-19 positive cases, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday decided to seal three major cities of state. Indore, Bhopal and Ujjain would be sealed completely in wake of COVID-19 crisis besides 21-day lockdown.

" district administration should ensure supply of essential commodities in se areas. person will be able to go in and out of se areas. Services of all government departments and ir resources should be taken in coronavirus related work," Chouhan said. In or districts also, infected areas should be completely sealed, he added.

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ESMA imposed in state

state government also invoked Essential Services Manment Act (ESMA) in state with immediate effect to combat COVID-19 to ensure essential supplies and services are operational during this crisis. decision to seal three major cities and invoking ESMA comes after a review meeting with senior officials over  situation and control arrangements of coronavirus in state as  number of coronavirus positive cases in Indore has risen to 213 after 40 cases reported on Wednesday, 96 in Bhopal, 13 in Ujjain, 12 in Khargone and 12 in Morena.

Chief Minister appealed to citizens t to hide ir travel history and directed authorities to register FIR against those who still resort to concealing ir travel details, and added that stringent action would be taken against m after ir treatment.

Chief Minister Chouhan said, " person should hide coronavirus disease. Coronavirus is death if you hide it, and life if you inform about it," adding that best treatment should be ensured for patients so that death rate can be minimised.

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Kamal Nath questions imposition of ESMA

However, former chief minister Kamal Nath has questioned move of invoking ESMA. He took to Twitter to post in Hindi saying, "during a time when government doctors, medical staff and officials are performing ir duties with utmost responsibility, state government's decision to invoke ESMA across state, fear of law, is beyond comprehension."