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Tripura on edge after driver from Chennai tests positive

By Correspondent

AGARTALA, April 30 - Tripura has got fresh jitters after a person from Tamil Nadu who was in the State on April 27 and 28, tested positive for COVID-19.

The person in question � an ambulance driver from Chennai � had come to the State to drop five persons at Udaipur subdivision in Gomati district during the lockdown period. As part of the COVID-19 guidelines, all the other primary contacts of the ambulance driver � one more driver and the five others � will undergo tests.

The driver was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Wednesday, sending alarm bells ringing here. He had already left for Chennai along with the other driver.

Meanwhile, the five persons of Udaipur have been sent to institutional quarantine by the district administration, said Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath.

The issue of lifting the lockdown was discussed in an all-party meeting last night and almost all representatives of the political parties who attended the meeting, advocated exiting the lockdown in a phased manner depending on the ground situation, Nath said.

�There will be relaxation on some sectors. This will be decided by the State Cabinet shortly before May 3, the last day of the ongoing lockdown,� the minister said.

Nath stated many political party representatives, who lauded the State Government�s role in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, expressed the fear that there might be adverse impact if the lockdown was fully withdrawn after May 3.

The problem of bringing back people stranded outside the State was also discussed in the meeting. �The meeting took stock of the State�s financial position. The expenses will be more if the Government brings back all the stranded people. That is why the Government has decided to allow the stranded people to return home on their own, while it will provide all logistical support,� Nath said.

The Education Minister made it clear that the Government cannot only bring back the students who are stuck at Kota.

In the meeting, State Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar informed the political parties about the steps taken by the Government in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the future plans.

Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb presided over the meeting, which was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma, Forest Minister Mevar Kumar Jamatia and Opposition leader Manik Sarkar.

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