Amidst a clamour seeking extension of the national lockdown, many southern states have supported the idea so as to effectively contain the spread of the virus.
Here are the top developments from the Southern part of the country this Thursday evening:
1. The Karnataka Cabinet has decided that the Chief Minister, other Ministers, Speaker and Deputy Speaker and Members of Legislative Assembly will voluntarily reduce their salaries by 30% for a period of one year. The exchequer will save Rs 15.36 crores in a year following this move.
2. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting his assistance in helping the 1 million people from Kerala living in the UAE, as conditions continue to deteriorate in that nation.
3. Urban Local Bodies across the state of Tamil Nadu will ensure door to door delivery of essential items. Mobile Amma Unnavagam services will be offered to households across all districts in the state.
4. The Madras High Court has questioned the Centre’s decision to allocate just Rs 510 crores from the State Disaster Risk Management Fund, despite the state recording the second highest number of Covid-19 cases.
5. A committee consisting of senior doctors set up by the Karnataka Government has recommended the lifting of the lockdown gradually in phases. It has also recommended continuation of the lockdown in hotspots in the state.