Coronavirus doesn’t discriminate: Entrepreneurs urge PM Modi to impose nationwide lockdown

A group of entrepreneurs have urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to impose Section 144 and officially ban large gatherings and put key cities under lockdown at the earliest. They made the request for strict and urgent action to the Prime Minister to effectively fight and curb further spread of the novel coronavirus that has already killed three people in India and infected nearly 150 persons.

Tagging the Prime Minister’s Office in a detailed PowerPoint presentation prepared by heads of 51 start-ups and venture capitalists, Abhiraj Singh Bhal, Co-founder, Urban Company (Urban Clap), tweeted on March 17:

Stressing that coronavirus doesn’t discriminate based on anyone’s nationality, the PPT pointed out how countries that “acted early and strongly”, such as South Korea and Japan, could effectively fight the pandemic. On the contrary, countries that “waited and watched”, such as Iran and Italy, are struggling to contain the spread of the deadly pathogen.

Highlighting this and several other reasons upholding the need for stringent social distancing and self-quarantine, the PPT states: “While containment efforts should continue, imposing a lockdown and Section 144 now, versus 30 days later, might reduce deaths by five times (saving nearly 10,000 lives.”

The presentation contains 10 slides with details of the disease and how one may control it more effectively, was prepared by entrepreneurs, including Snapdeal head Kunal Bahl and Phanindra Sama of Red Bus.