Punjab, which was one of the first states to impose a state-wide lockdown and stop public transport, has reported 132 Covid-19 patients. (Photo by Sant Arora/ Hindustan Times)

The Punjab cabinet on Friday unanimously decided to extend the covid-19 lockdown in the state till April 30. Punjab becomes the second state after Odisha to prolong the lockdown.

On March 23, Prime Minister Modi had announced the national lockdown till April 14 to stem the spread of Covid-19 disease.

Earlier today, chief minister Amarinder Singh, addressing a news conference through video-conferencing, said he felt the lockdown and curfew should continue in view of the increased number of positive Covid-19 cases.

“The number of positive Covid-19 cases will increase as is happening across the world and even in India. How can Punjab be isolated from it? We have contained the pandemic to some level as compared to other states. But this will spread. We have kept our contingency plan ready and lockdown is one of the methods to cut social contacts,” he said.

Punjab, which was one of the first states to impose a state-wide lockdown and stop public transport, has reported 132 Covid-19 patients.

Several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra and Karnataka, have called for lockdown enforcement beyond April 14, saying that the threat of Covid-19 would be easier to handle if it is kept in place for a longer period of time.

On April 8, PM Modi , in his interaction with opposition leaders, said life will not be the same again after the coronavirus pandemic. He added there would be “pre-corona and post-corona” for times to come.

“I am regularly talking to CMs, districts and experts. Nobody is telling me to lift the lockdown. We need strict rules to maintain social distancing. We have to take many unexpected steps too,” PM Modi told the leaders.

The nationwide lockdown, at the same time, has worried experts and commentators that it would hurt the already slowing economy.