As the coronavirus positive cases in the country went up to 84 including two deaths—one in Delhi and Karnataka each, the Government pressed caution button to a near optimum with the Home Ministry canceling a mega event on annual Padma awards to held in Rashtrapati Bhavan and several states shutting down schools, colleges, malls and cinema halls.
The Ministry of Home Affairs postponed the annual Padma Awards 2020, which was supposed to be held at the Rashtrapati Bhawan on April 3, in view of the pandemic coronavirus (COVID-19), as a precautionary measure.
The ministry announced that the next date of the ceremony will be intimated in due course.
Earlier, the government had issued on March 6 about the decision to hold the Civil Investiture Ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan for presenting the Padma awards on April 3.
This comes close on the heels of several states including Maharashtra,West Bengal and Uttarakhand having announced public holidays for school and colleges, and shutting down malls and cinema halls.
The officials maintained that more than 4000 people who had come in contact with the 84 positive cases are under surveillance.
"A Mahan Air flight bringing back Indian passengers from Iran will land in Mumbai on Saturday midnight. A special Air India flight is being sent to Milan in Italy on Saturday to bring back Indian students," the official added.
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