West Bengal extends coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown till April 30; schools, colleges to remain shut till June 10

KOLKATA: The West Bengal government on Saturday (April 11, 2020) extended the ongoing lockdown over coronavirus till April 30. Addressing a press briefing, the Trinamool Congress chief said, ''PM Narendra Modi spoke about extending lockdown till April 30 in a video-conference with CMs. We are also on the same page with PM Modi. We want lockdown extended till April 30.’’

She said that the next two weeks are going to be "crucial and critical" in battling the COVID-19 pandemic.

The West Bengal CM also announced that schools, colleges, and universities in the state will remain closed till June 10th. 

She, however, said that grocery stores will remain open from 10 am to 6 pm. Flour and oil mills and the bakeries will also remain open.

Mamata Banerjee further informed that she had asked PM Modi to give a special package of Rs 25,000 crore for the state to deal with the current crisis.

''Govt must announce a national health package of Rs 10 crore for each state. I've said this,'' she added.

During her press briefing, she said that serious attention has to be given to Howrah. 

State Secretariat 'Nabanna' will be sanitised on Sunday and the day after, she told reporters.

On MHA letter to the state government, Mamata Banerjee said that the MHA has sent a notice. They have asked to check certain areas.

''There is no communal angle. It's not a communal virus,’’ she added.

''This lockdown has to be done with the help of striking a balance with life and livelihood,’’ she stressed.

Banerjee said she had requested the central government to ensure strict vigil in the border areas so that no one is able to sneak in during this period.

In a related development, the Maharashtra government on Saturday decided to extend the ongoing lockdown till April 30. Making the announcement, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said that the lockdown can be relaxed in certain areas while on others it will become stricter.

He also said that the decision on lifting the curbs completely after April 30 will be taken depending upon the prevailing situation.