HYDERABAD: The Telangana state cabinet is scheduled to hold a crucial meeting on July 1 (Thursday), presided over by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao, to discuss the re-imposition of a complete lockdown within the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits which is registering an alarming rise in the number of daily coronavirus cases. As soon as the news of the cabinet meeting schedule was disclosed to the media, there is intense speculation that KCR would announce the imposition of a fresh 15-day complete shutdown for the GHMC limits to contain COVID-19.

The cabinet meeting assumes greater significance in the wake of strong indications in the last few days from the state government that it is seriously contemplating the shutdown in the GHMC that covers most of the state capital Hyderabad. While the chief minister himself dropped enough hints towards this possibility two days ago, Health Minister Eetela Rajender too vindicated the prevailing mood on Monday. He said that residents of the state capital are frightened over the alarming rise in the number of new cases being reported everyday. He said that the state government would consider all the factors and, if need be, opt for a complete lockdown again for a period of 15 days in Hyderabad. He said that Chief Minister KCR would take a final call on this after thorough deliberation during the cabinet meeting.

Besides the minister’s assertion, medical experts have been raising alarm that community transmission of COVID-19 within the Greater Hyderabad area. The state medical and health department has already submitted a report to the state government, warning that the prevailing scenario could soon go out of control and that it is high time to go for a total shutdown within the GHMC limits.

The state government, which had asserted till a few weeks ago that the situation was totally under control, is stung by the unprecedented jump in the cases in the last two weeks, especially since the time all major lockdown restrictions were relaxed. Given the rampant nature of the pandemic in the recent days, the state government is reported to be in plans to enforce a complete lockdown very stringently. It intends to ensure that people are confined to their homes for at least 15 days to keep the coronavirus spread under check.

Like in the initial days of the nationwide lockdown, a stricter night curfew is once again on the cards while nothing else except only essential services in hospitals and medical shops would be allowed to function.