Fight against COVID-19: Tripura declares complete lockdown on July 5

The Tripura government has declared a complete lockdown on July 5^th, 2020 to prevent the spread of the COVID-19. Declaring this, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb urged the people of the state to adhere to the guidelines laid down by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The Chief Minister in a late night video message said, “In our state phase 1 of the COVID-19 pandemic has already started. The subsequent stages may arise and thus we have to be prepared to fight the battle against the Corona Virus”.

Deb also added, “We have decided to impose a statewide lockdown on July 5^th, 2020. During the day, people of the state are requested to follow the strict restrictions. The emergency services will remain intact otherwise, people should stay indoors to prove that we are ready to fight the battle”.

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Deb also said the government in Tripura stands different with its decision on recruitment of 1100 Special Police Officers (SPOs) amidst salary cuts and retrenchments everywhere.

“We are fighting the COVID19 pandemic as well as focusing on the development activities together,’ the Chief Minister said adding that the decision of recruitment of 1100 SPOs was difficult but it had made a huge difference.

Besides, the state government also announced hike in salary of around 350 existing SPOs, to be appointed as drivers, but they didn’t need to stage protests like Left era, he added.

“We are clearing all files related to die-in-harness jobs despite the state is facing difficult time due to COVID19 situation. Even, I have signed 10 files for die-in-harness jobs on Monday itself,” the Chief Minister pointed out.

Referring to state government’s welfare activities, the Chief Minister said, “If I were the Chief Minister of Tripura for the past 20 years, the state wouldn’t have been dependant on Centre today.”

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister has encouraged making of eco-friendly bamboo containers for kitchen apart from bottles.

“Tripura is expected to get huge market in bamboo sector in the days to come. The youths may take such new initiatives and become self-reliant/ job creator,” the Chief Minister said.

The government had also increased penalties for not adhering to the restrictions such as wearing of masks, spitting and urinating in open. All the penalties were made twofold of the earlier discussed on, Cabinet Spokesperson and Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath said.

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