Govt closes all schools, colleges with immediate effect

Raipur, Mar 21: All schools, colleges and anganwadis were closed in Chhattisgarh with immediate effect on Sunday in wake of the rising coronavirus cases across the country, said Agriculture minister Ravindra Choubey while addressing the scribes after a meeting of the state cabinet on Sunday.
The state government had allowed schools to resume physical classes for students of standard 9th to 12th from February 15. It had also allowed physical classes in universities and colleges to resume from February. Chhattisgarh has been witnessing a rise in coronavirus cases since the beginning of March. According to the information available at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the active COVID-19 tally in Chhattisgarh stands at nearly 7,700 while more than 3,900 have lost their lives.
While coronavirus cases have been rising alarmingly in Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has ruled out the possibility of imposing a lockdown in the state and appealed to people to follow appropriate COVID behaviour.
“It’s the poor and the business class who usually bear the brunt of lockdown besides the economic impact faced by common people on their livelihood. Instead of the lockdown, it is essential and preferable for all to strictly follow the Covid pandemic guidelines,” he said earlier this week.
Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry has also expressed concerns over the sudden spike in coronavirus cases in Chhattisgarh and has held several meetings with the state government to discussed a strategy to break the chain of the infection.
On Sunday, the Health Ministry said that the biggest reason for the surge in cases is that people feel the pandemic is over and they are not following COVID-appropriate behaviour.