Decision on extending lockdown to be decided after cabinet meet: Puducherry CM

Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Friday said a decision on extension or ending the lockdown enforced to curb the spread of coronavirus will be taken after a Cabinet meeting. Referring to states like Odisha announcing the decision to continue to the lockdown, he said he was waiting for the Prime Minister's meeting with chief ministers of various states scheduled for tomorrow via video conference.

"A meeting of the Puducherry cabinet would be held Saturday to decide the territorial government's stand on continuation of ongoing lockdown," he told reporters after visiting some COVID-19 containment zones here. He praised the good work put in by the police, health professionals, staff of the ASHA unit, ANMs, PWD and other departments, which he said ensured Puducherry was able to contain the spread of the infection.

The chief minister said the government would also provide a solatium of Rs 10 lakh to the kin of doctors or nurses in case they died due to infection contracted during treatment of the patients. He said that a solatium ranging between Rs 2 to 5 lakhs would also be paid in case a COVID 19 patient dies.

The Chief Minister thanked voluntary organisations for their spontaneous response to the call given by the government for their proactive role. He earlier inaugurated distribution vegetable packets facilitated by the Pondicherry Heritage Round Table 167 (PHRT 167) to families of persons quarantined in containment zones in several villages here.PTI Cor PTI PTI PTI