With the surging number of COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra’s Nagpur district, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackery has announced a complete lockdown in the district of Nagpur.
“A strict lockdown will need to be imposed in some places. We will make a decision in the next two days and the lockdown will be imposed wherever required,” CM Thackeray said after he took the first shot of Covaxin at the JJ Hospital in Mumbai. Along with him, his wife Rashmi, mother-in-law Meenatai Patankar and his personal assistant Milind Narvekar took the vaccine.
“There is no need to be afraid or confused about vaccination. As the Covid-19 cases are rising, all those who are eligible should take their shots it without any hesitation,” the Chief Minister added.
In Nagpur 1,710 cases were reported on Wednesday and in the last one week the number stayed more than 1,000 on a daily basis. Meanwhile, all the essential services will be available to the local public but there will be no leanancy in the lockdown by the authorities.
“Nagpur has been witnessing a increase in Covid patients. Hence it has been decided that all the areas under the jurisdiction of Nagpur Police Commissionerate will be under total lockdown between March 15 and 21,” Raut said at a press conference.
The minister further said, “Except for 25 per cent attendance in government offices and industries, all other establishments and non-essential shops will remain closed for the period and police have been directed to ensure strict curfew in these areas.”
Here’s the lowdown on the various restrictions imposed across the state of Maharashtra to curb the spread of coronavirus:
• Nanded has announced additional restrictions from 12 to 21 March in view of rising Covid infections. The district has ordered all coaching classes to be shut, shops will remain open only from 7 am to 7 pm. The authority has also ordered weekly bazaars to be shut and no weddings are allowed from 16 to 21 March.
• Thane district collector Rajesh Narvekar on Wednesday issued a circular saying March 15 onwards, schools for classes 5-8 will remain shut till further notice in the rural areas. It also announced a lockdown between March 13 and 31 in 11 hotspots of the city.
• The district administration in Nashik imposed a weekend lockdown along with several restrictions starting from Tuesday after it witnessed a rapid surge in its covid-19 cases. The administration said no weddings will be allowed from March 15. Marriage functions that had got permission earlier will be allowed to take place till March 15 after which no new nod would be given. Schools, colleges, coaching classes will remain closed in Nashik city. But temples, mosques will remain open till 7 pm. However, on weekends, places of worship will remain closed. Scheduled examinations such as UPSC and MPSC will be conducted as usual.
• The Aurangabad district on Sunday had ordered night restrictions from 9 pm to 6 am from 11 March to 4 April to contain the virus spread. Alongside the Maharashtra Minister Eknath Shinde further informed that there will be full lockdown on weekends in the district. Malls and weekly markets will be shut, weddings and public functions disallowed and restaurants will have to be shut at 9 pm, according to official reports.
• A Janata curfew has been imposed in Jalgaon for three days. An order in this regard was issued by the District Magistrate, which says that Janata’s curfew will be observed on March 12, 13, and 14. During the Janata curfew, only essential services will be allowed.
• Amid the surge in Covid cases, Mumbai’s guardian minister Aslam Shaikh said that people are being fined for violating Covid-19 protocols. He also warned that if cases continue to rise, then there is a possibility of nightclubs being closed down first in the city. ‘If people forgo precautions, then beaches and the Gateway in Mumbai might also need to be shut’ said Aslam Shaikh.
• Earlier CM Thackeray had also hinted at reimposing a Covid-19 lockdown to break the chain of transmission. While addressing a meeting, the CM initially expressed his disinterest in a lockdown but said he would be pushed to impose one if precautions are not followed by the public. “I do not want to impose it but ‘majboori’ (helplessness) is also something.” the Maharashtra CM was quoted saying.
• At present, there are 99,008 active cases in the state. Mumbai city reported 1,539 cases, Pune city 1,384, Nagpur city 1,513, Nashik city 750, Yavatmal district 403, Aurangabad 560, and Pimpri Chinchwad 590.
• To boost the vaccination drive, the BMC on Wednesday gave blanket permission to all covid-19 facilities to operate 24/7 to administer Covid-19 vaccines and set a target of 75,000 covid-19 shots per day.
