Lockdown call will depend on situation: Punjab CM

CHANDIGARH: Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday said the decision on extending the lockdown beyond June 30 in the state would depend on the situation, but he was prepared to take all steps needed to control the spread of Covid-19.
“It is in your hands,” he told a Ludhiana resident during the #AskCaptain Facebook Live session, adding, “If we are able to control the pandemic, there would be no need for lockdown; but if it goes out of control, we have no choice.” “Lockdowns were imposed for the safety of Punjab’s people,” he added.
With coronavirus cases rising across the country, he said wearing a mask in public was a must. He appealed to the people not to violate this and other safety protocols, and said there should be no need for challans on this count as everyone should act responsibly.
He pointed out that on Friday alone, 4,024 people were challaned for not wearing masks and 45 for spitting in public. Not wearing masks or following social distancing norms or spitting are anti-social actions, he said.
He pointed out that experts had projected Punjab’s peak to be still some time away. Amarinder said the state could not afford to be lax in any way. In response to a question from a Hoshiarpur resident, he said testing in Punjab would go up to 20,000 a day by the end of this month..
To a request for opening gyms, he said the decision was in the hands of the central government since the National Disaster Management Act was in force. He said he had till date received 1,700 questions on this issue.