Currently, Maharashtra is facing a lot of issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic and its numbers are constantly increasing. The Maharashtra government has already imposed 15-days-long restricted period with different rules from April 14 to control the transmission of coronavirus. And now the Chief Minister of Maharashtra Uddhav Thackeray is expected to decide on a strict lockdown soon as the current restrictions are not giving any desired outcomes to control COVID-19 in Maharashtra.
The Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Vijay Wadettiwar said the state government will study the lockdown imposed by the Delhi government before taking any decisions. He also said, “The ongoing curfew is not helping in the way it was expected. A decision is expected in connection with a strict lockdown soon. The chief minister will take a call after consulting others”. Wadettiwar similarly mentioned that traders and shopkeepers had earlier opposed the imposition of a lockdown, but now they are in favor of such a measure. The minister said his department is studying the Delhi lockdown. He said, “We will take information on how trains and essential services are allowed there in Delhi, before arriving at any decision”.
Maharashtra has recorded the biggest single-day rise of 68,631 new COVID-19 cases. The State Health Department informed that as many as 68,631 fresh COVID-19 cases and 503 deaths were reported from Maharashtra on a single day, the highest in the state so far since the pandemic broke out last year. And with this, the total number of active cases in the state now stands at 6,70,388. So far, as many as 31,06,828 recoveries and 60,473 deaths have been reported. Out of the total fresh cases, 8,479 were reported from Mumbai. There are 87,698 active cases in Mumbai while the death toll stands at 12,347.
Recently, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the measures taken by the center to supply medical oxygen to the 12 worst-affected states including Maharashtra. Union Minister Harsh Vardhan said that he had reached out to Uddhav Thackeray and assumed him that Maharashtra would get an ‘adequate and uninterrupted supply of medical oxygen, and 1,121 ventilators. Even India’s COVID-19 caseload has risen to 1.45 crore with 2,34,692 fresh infections, the sharpest-ever daily spike, as the nation recorded over 2 lakh cases for the third straight day. With 1,341 deaths, India saw the deadliest day of the global pandemic this year.
Uddhav Thackeray announced the extensive restrictions via his social media, restricting the movement of people and non-essential activities. Section 144 of CrPC prohibited gathering of five or more people at one spot, and it will be in force during the period, Uddhav Thackeray had announced but ceased from terming the new restrictions as a lockdown. All these preventions are in addition to the weekend lockdowns and other restrictions which will remain in force till April 30 under Maharashtra’s ‘Break the Chain’ COVID-19 action plan.
Now even the train passengers from Kerala, Goa, Rajasthan, Delhi, Gujarat, and Uttarakhand will require a negative RT-PCR test report to travel to Maharashtra, and this test needs to be taken for 48 hours travel. The Government of Maharashtra has likewise categorized these 6 states as places of sensitive origin because of the surge in COVID-19 cases. Similarly, new rules and regulations are being put in place for travel in long-distance trains from these states to contain the spread of infection. Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte said in an order, “All passengers shall be compulsorily screened and only asymptomatic passengers shall be allowed to board the trains for Maharashtra. Social distancing should be ensured during boarding or de-boarding and travel”.
The government has already restricted the timings for grocery shops from 7 am to 11 am. Due to unnecessary gatherings of people, the government has decided to strictly stop people from moving around without any reason. The grocery shops will remain open for only 4 hours so that people do not roam around throughout the day in the name of buying groceries. And revolving under this ongoing COVID-19 crisis, Maharashtra is now likely to impose a complete and strict lockdown, with a decision likely to be made in soon.
___________________
Reference –
- www.ndtv.com
- www.business-standard.com
- www.timesofindia.com