The government has extended the lockdown period – as recommended by the High-Level Coordination Committee for the Prevention and Control of Covid-19 yesterday – keeping the suspension on international flights and sealing border till May end, but some essential industries will be allowed to start their operation from Friday.
A meeting of the Council of Ministers today decided to extend the term of nationwide coronavirus-lockdown till May 18, confirmed finance minister, who is also information and communication technology minster, Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada. “But some 42 industries of essential nature will be allowed to operate from Friday with adequate health precautions,” he said, adding that they have to maintain social distance, employees must use mask and sanitiser. “These industries can make one-third of their employees work at a time.”
The industries related to food and food processing, water, biscuits, tea, sugar, LP Gas, ginger, bread, confectionery, paintings, press, electricity fittings to construction related industries will be allowed to operate from Friday, Khatiwada said, adding that the party palaces, malls that do not sell food and food products, gym, temples, mosque, church, and training programmes are however not allowed to operate.
A meeting of the High-Level Coordination Committee for the Prevention and Control of Covid-19 yesterday – in the presence of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli – had reviewed measures taken to prevent the spread of the pandemic and the impact of the ongoing lockdown. It has concluded that the lockdown has been effective in controlling coronavirus from spreading. But the economy has been bleeding as the industries have been closed since March 24. When the government first announced the lockdown, Nepal had reported just two Covid-19 cases. But this week alone, 23 new cases have been reported, with the national tally reaching 99, though there have been no deaths so far.
With the sixth extension of lockdown from day after, Nepal will be under lockdown for almost two months until a different modality of rules and restrictions is decided upon. The country has lost around Rs 300 billion due to a lockdown in the last a-month-and-half which has halted economic activities in the country.
The committee has decided to recommend the government to further extend the lockdown, but allow some economic activities to start as the government coffer is drying due to loss of revenue, reduction of remittance inflow and plummeting export, apart from tourism that seems to take minimum half year to revive.
The length of the lockdown imposed on March 24, which saw the most recent extension on April 27, is maturing tomorrow, the committee had suggested to categorise areas as green, orange and red, but the Prime Minister was not convinced saying that it is not the right time to relax lockdown on the basis of categorisation, as Covid- 19 cases continued to rise in India and in certain districts of Nepal bordering India, and also in Nepal.
Critics say the government failed to utilise the lockdown over the last six weeks to step up measures to trace and treat and find ways to gradually lift lockdown.
The cabinet meeting also decided to tighten entry points to Kathmandu and keep records of those who need to travel for emergency situations like for health checkups, Khatiwada added.
A meeting of the Council of Ministers today decided to extend the term of nationwide coronavirus-lockdown till May 18, confirmed finance minister, who is also information and communication technology minster, Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada. “But some 42 industries of essential nature will be allowed to operate from Friday with adequate health precautions,” he said, adding that they have to maintain social distance, employees must use mask and sanitiser. “These industries can make one-third of their employees work at a time.”
The industries related to food and food processing, water, biscuits, tea, sugar, LP Gas, ginger, bread, confectionery, paintings, press, electricity fittings to construction related industries will be allowed to operate from Friday, Khatiwada said, adding that the party palaces, malls that do not sell food and food products, gym, temples, mosque, church, and training programmes are however not allowed to operate.
A meeting of the High-Level Coordination Committee for the Prevention and Control of Covid-19 yesterday – in the presence of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli – had reviewed measures taken to prevent the spread of the pandemic and the impact of the ongoing lockdown. It has concluded that the lockdown has been effective in controlling coronavirus from spreading. But the economy has been bleeding as the industries have been closed since March 24. When the government first announced the lockdown, Nepal had reported just two Covid-19 cases. But this week alone, 23 new cases have been reported, with the national tally reaching 99, though there have been no deaths so far.
With the sixth extension of lockdown from day after, Nepal will be under lockdown for almost two months until a different modality of rules and restrictions is decided upon. The country has lost around Rs 300 billion due to a lockdown in the last a-month-and-half which has halted economic activities in the country.
The committee has decided to recommend the government to further extend the lockdown, but allow some economic activities to start as the government coffer is drying due to loss of revenue, reduction of remittance inflow and plummeting export, apart from tourism that seems to take minimum half year to revive.
The length of the lockdown imposed on March 24, which saw the most recent extension on April 27, is maturing tomorrow, the committee had suggested to categorise areas as green, orange and red, but the Prime Minister was not convinced saying that it is not the right time to relax lockdown on the basis of categorisation, as Covid- 19 cases continued to rise in India and in certain districts of Nepal bordering India, and also in Nepal.
Critics say the government failed to utilise the lockdown over the last six weeks to step up measures to trace and treat and find ways to gradually lift lockdown.
The cabinet meeting also decided to tighten entry points to Kathmandu and keep records of those who need to travel for emergency situations like for health checkups, Khatiwada added.
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