Inter-district bus services by Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) operate maintaining Covid safety measures (Express Photo: Pavan Khengre)Maharashtra, Mumbai, Pune Coronavirus, Weather Today Live Updates: Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh Sunday said that a decision on removal of restrictions on inter-state and intra-state movement people and goods will be taken soon. Taking to Twitter, Deshmukh said, “We have taken note of the recent guidelines announced by the centre removing all restrictions on inter-state and intra-state movement of goods and people. Appropriate decision will be taken regarding the same after discussion with chief minister and deputy chief minister.”
Maharashtra on Sunday recorded 10,441 new Covid-19 cases, which pushed the state’s caseload to 6,82,383, a state health official said. With 258 patients succumbing to the infection during the day, the toll reached 22,253, he said. As many as 8,157 patients were discharged after recovery on Sunday, which took the number of discharged persons to 4,88,271 so far.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall, accompanied with with gusty winds, in Mumbai and neighbouring Thane, Raigad and Palghar districts over the next 24 hours.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar sprayed disinfectant on the microphones held by news reporters seeking a sound byte at the sidelines of inauguration of a 'Jumbo Covid Care facility' in Pune.
Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh Sunday said that a decision on removal of restrictions on inter-state and intra-state movement people and goods will be taken soon. Taking to Twitter, Deshmukh said, “We have taken note of the recent guidelines announced by the centre removing all restrictions on inter-state and intra-state movement of goods and people. Appropriate decision will be taken regarding the same after discussion with chief minister and deputy chief minister.”
The number of COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra's Thane district has gone up to 1,13,884 with 1,284 more people testing positive for the disease, a health official said on Sunday. The fatality count in the district has reached 3,240 as 26 more people succumbed to the viral infection on Saturday, he said. Kalyan town in the district has so far reported the maximum 26,405 COVID-19 cases, followed by Thane city-24,329 cases, Navi Mumbai-23,005 cases and Mira Bhayander township- 11,519 cases. The remaining cases have been reported from other parts of the district, the official said. (PTI)
A decision on allowing all journalists to travel in suburban trains in Mumbai, currently being operated for those employed in essential services, will be taken in the next two days, Maharashtra Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Vijay Wadettiwar said on Sunday. Wadettiwar, who heads Disaster Management portfolio, told reporters that his department had decided to allow all journalists who have to travel for news gathering to use local trains. 'A proposal has been sent to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray for clearance by the state Cabinetwhich will be done in two days,' the minister said. (PTI)
The licence of a hospital treating COVID-19 patients at Kalyan here in Maharashtra has been suspended for allegedly overcharging patients and violation of other government orders, an official said on Sunday. The Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) had received several complaints from patients about Sridevi Hospital charging them exorbitant amounts, the civic body's spokesperson Madhuri Phophale said. Hence, on the directives of KDMC Commissioner Dr Vijay Suryavanshi, its licence was suspended on Saturday by Additional Municipal Commissioner Sunil Pawar till August 31 or till the hospital complies with the official orders, she said. (PTI)
Members of the entertainment industry, including filmmaker Boney Kapoor, actor-producer JD Majethia, filmmaker Ashoke Pandit, on Sunday hailed the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for resuming shooting of films and TV programmes announced by the Centre. Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar announced guiding principles and SOPs on preventive measures for media production to contain the spread of coronavirus. These include measures such as social distancing and mandatory use of face cover or masks for cast and crew, except for actors in front of the camera. (PTI)
The Covid-19 tally in Maharashtra's Pune district rose to 1,42,461 with addition of 3,280 new cases in the last 24 hours, a health official said on Saturday. The cumulative toll mounted to 3,495 with 69 deaths, he said. "Of the total 3,280 cases, 1,577 patients are from the limits of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), which now has 82,170 patients. With addition of 1,039 cases, the count in Pimpri Chinchwad area now stands at 40,898. The number of cases in rural, civil hospital and the Pune Cantonment Board area stands at 19,393," the official said. A total of 1,427 patients were discharged from hospitals in the day, he said.
The number of Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra's Thane district has gone up to 1,13,884 with 1,284 more people testing positive for the disease, a health official said on Sunday. The fatality count in the district has reached 3,240 as 26 more people succumbed to the viral infection on Saturday, he said. Kalyan town in the district has so far reported the maximum 26,405 coronavirus cases, followed by Thane city-24,329 cases, Navi Mumbai-23,005 cases and Mira Bhayander township-11,519 cases. The remaining cases have been reported from other parts of the district, the official said. On Saturday, Kalyan reported 421 new cases, followed by Navi Mumbai-398, Thane city-134 and Mira Bhayander-124 cases, he said. The official said Kalyan also reported the highest number of 10 deaths in one single day on Saturday.
To avoid gathering of crowds at ghats, the PMC has appealed to residents to immerse their Ganesha idols at home. Taking a cue from the PMC’s appeal, local NGO GreenGrowth Group has implemented Nirmal Ganeshotsav 2020 initiative. The NGO has collaborated with the PMC to ensure streamlined distribution of ammonium bicarbonate at various idol shops in the city. Speaking to The Indian Express, Yash Malwadkar, founder of Green Growth Group, said while they have carried out similar initiatives in the past, they felt with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic it was important to expand their work. “While the PMC has made arrangements for distribution of ammonium bicarbonate powder for safe immersion of Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols, our survey revealed that idol sellers were finding it hard to sell idols as there was no clarity on visarjan. We decided to help them by supplying the powder so that they can give it to customers along with idols. This also helps the PMC officials, who already have a lot on their plate with the rising Covid-19 cases in the city,” he said. Click here to read more.
Even though the state Election Commission is yet to take a decision on conducting bypolls in two vacant civic wards in Pimpri-Chinchwad, political parties and aspirants have started preparing for them. The pre-election arrangements, however, may spring a surprise as the NCP and BJP are likely to join hands in one of the two civic wards.The two civic seats fell vacant in July after two NCP corporators, Datta Sane and Javed Shaikh, succumbed to coronavirus disease. Click here to read more.
The process to formally appoint over 100 doctors at YCM Hospital and other hospitals run by the Pimpti-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has been stalled once again, as the civic general body on Friday postponed a decision on giving appointment letters to the doctors. The 103 doctors were selected through a rigorous procedure in February. “I have no clue why they are opposing the appointment of Covid warrior doctors…we are helpless…,” Municipal Commisisoner Shravan Hardikar told The Indian Express on Saturday. “Of the 103 doctors, 80 are already working with us on a contract basis. Twenty three of them, who are specialists, are yet to join as they have not been given appointment letters,” he said.
Laxmi Road, which is usally crowded with processions on Ganesh Chaturthi, wears a deserted look due to Covid-related restrictions, in Pune on Saturday. (Pavan Khengre)
Ganeshotsav, the biggest religious event in Pune, started on a restrained note on Saturday, amid social distancing, repeated sanitisation and other preventive measures to keep Covid-19 at bay. Ganesh mandals in Pune city, including the five famous ‘Manache Ganpati’, installed the idols in the presence of limited number of workers. Huge crowds, which throng pandals to watch the installation of the Ganesh idol, were conspicuously missing. Though the crowds were smaller and noise levels muted, devotees responded to the festival with their usual fervour. Unlike other years, there were no dhol tasha groups at the mandals, but the rituals were performed with traditional enthusiasm.
The count of COVID-19 cases in Nashik district of Maharashtra crossed the 29,000 mark and reached 29,335 on Saturday with addition of 912 patients, health officials said. The virus claimed six more lives, taking the toll to 761, they said. A total of 412 patients were discharged in the day, taking the number of recoveries in the district to 23,777, officials added. (PTI)
US Democratic vice-presidential candidate for 2020 elections, Kamala Harris too joined Joe Biden in extending Ganesh Chaturthi wishes.
The Covid-19 tally in Maharashtra rose to 6,71,942 on Saturday after 14,492 new cases were reported, the state health department said. With 297 new fatalities, the death toll due to the pandemic rose to 21,995.
US Democratic Presidential candidate for 2020 elections, Joe Biden shared wishes of Ganesh Chaturthi. Taking to Twitter, he wrote: "To everyone celebrating the Hindu festival of Ganesh Chaturthi in the U.S., India, and around the world, may you overcome all obstacles, be blessed with wisdom, and find a path toward new beginnings."
For the first time in the country, anti-fibrotic drugs have been used to treat patients suffering from COVID-19-related lung fibrosis and breathlessness which has helped in the recovery of four such patients in Maharashtra's Pune, the Army has said. "The researchers at the Pune-based Army Institute of Cardiothoracic Sciences (AICTS) have found this therapy very effective in this subset of COVID-19 patients and they were safely tolerated as well. This is a novel strategy to tackle the lung fibrosis to treat subset of COVID-19 patients," the release said. (PTI)
Bollywood actor Madhuri Dixit Nene wishes Ganesh Chaturthi sharing old photographs.
on the occassion of Ganesh Chaturthi, Bollywood director-producer Karan Johar tweeted: "May the power of Lord Ganesh protect you and your loved ones from all evil....may the power enhance all positivity and spread only love...please stay safe"