'Puducherry government is ready to gradually loosen curfew': CM Narayanasamy

Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy opined that it would not be possible to implement the entire curfew in the Union Territory and that the government is ready to gradually lift restrictions, in a Cabinet meeting he chaired on Wednesday.

'Govt is ready to gradually loosen the curfew'

According to ANI, in a telephonic conversation with Union Minister Jeetendra Singh, Narayanasamy discussed the State's position and the relaxation of the restrictions after May 3. The Chief Minister said that "The implementation of the entire curfew is not possible and the government is ready to gradually loosen the curfew. The government's position will be announced after the cabinet meeting."

During the meeting, CM informed that in Puducherry, only three people are currently being treated for Coronavirus, and 49 people were tested on Tuesday and no positive results were found. "Since the central government has given permission that people of Puducherry stranded elsewhere can return, the Puducherry government will make travel arrangements for them, so that they can travel on their own," he said.

He has also decided to provide 10 kg of rice for three months to the people above the poverty line excluding the income taxpayers and civil servants. CM Narayanasamy on Monday said that most of the Chief Ministers want lockdown to continue while few of them called for some relaxation for economic activities during a video conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

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He also said the District Collector would probe into the alleged torture of a Tahsildar of Excise Department recently after he was detained in a police station in neighbouring Nettapakkam in connection with alleged illegal sale of liquor.

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The total number of positive Coronavirus cases across the country are 31,787, including 22,982 active cases of the virus. So far, 7,796 patients have either been cured or discharged while 1,008 deaths have been recorded in the country, as per the data provided by the Union Ministry of Health.

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(With agency inputs)