The lockdown in the Itanagar capital region (ICR) will end on 3 August. There is growing debate over whether the lockdown should be extended or not. Health Secretary P Parthiban on Saturday exuded hope that the lockdown may not be needed to be extended further. The secretary claimed that rapid testing has helped to isolate the Covid-19 positive cases and thereby stop the chain of infection. Still one week is remaining, and the state government will take the final call in this regard.
The medical experts in all probability will seek an extension of the lockdown as the number of Covid-19 cases has continued to rise in the ICR. However, the business community, especially the daily wage earners, is suffering a lot. The lockdown is having a monumental effect on them. The majority of them are struggling for survival. If the government plans to extend the lockdown, it should come out with a package for the business community, including the daily wage earners. The business community desperately needs the support of the state government. A large section of the population is very much against the extension of the lockdown. Therefore the state government will really have to come up with a solid argument, backed by some kind of olive branch to the citizens, if the lockdown is to be extended.