Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray today declared more stringent restrictions across the state, including the imposition of Section 144 beginning at 8 p.m. tomorrow for a duration of 15 days. The prohibitions will remain in place until 7 a.m. on May 1.
The decision was made in response to a new increase in covid-19 cases in the state. Over the last few days, the state of Maharashtra has been registering over 50,000 new covid-19 incidents.
I will speak to the Prime Minister to request him to provide us Indian Air Force assistance in the supply of oxygen for medical use from nearby states,” said Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray.
Local rail and bus services will be limited to critical services only, while gas stations, financial institutions affiliated with SEBI, and building work will proceed. Hotels and restaurants will remain closed, with only take-away and home delivery permitted, according to Uddhav Thackeray.
Uddhav Thackeray attributed the drop in the state’s covid-19 cases in December to the citizens and doctors. He described the current situation as “scary.” He also said that the state’s health system is overburdened due to the increase in new cases. The CM went on to say that all of the oxygen provided is used for medical purposes, and he also mentioned hospital bed shortages. He also emphasized the state’s scarcity of the life-saving drug Remdisivir.
In terms of COVID-19 cases and deaths, Maharashtra is the worst-affected state in the world.
“We must sever the chain of infection propagation. We may have spared the lockdown if the number of cases had been lower. The government will do everything possible to save lives “Aslam Sheikh, Minister of Maharashtra, said
Earlier, Maharashtra minister Aslam Sheikh said on Sunday that there is unanimity among all stakeholders regarding the need to impose a lockdown in the state, which has the highest number of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases in the world, adding that SOPs and guidance will likely be addressed in another meeting scheduled for tomorrow.
“Last time when the lockdown was enforced in the region, many migrants laborers lost their lives when returning to their native home,” the Minister said, “so we don’t want those circumstances in the state again, that’s why we’re keeping all stakeholders in confidence and talking to laborers and traders.”
