Jharkhand says no to Centre's new guidelines on reopening shops during coronavirus lockdown

The Jharkhand government has decided not to implement till May 3 the Centre's guidelines giving relaxations to some shops due to a sudden spurt in COVID-19 cases, Chief Minister Hemant Soren said on Monday.

He said CRPF personnel have been asked to monitor Ranchi's Hindpiri locality, where the first coronavirus case in the state was detected in a Malaysian woman in March, and then more and more cases followed.

The CM further said that the borders of Ranchi would be sealed to contain spread of COVID-19.

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Fifteen people tested positive for COVID-19 in Jharkhand on Sunday, the highest single-day jump in the number of cases so far.

"We have taken some important decisions to stop the pandemic in view of the sudden rise in coronavirus cases in the state. The government will not implement the central guidelines to give relaxation to some shops," Soren told reporters on Monday.

Stating that no shops will be permitted to open till May 3, the last day of the lockdown, Soren added that shops of essential commodities would continue to operate.