PremiumConsidering the rise in the number of cases, a three-week long lockdown was required in the state to bring the coronavirus cases under control, Maharashtra minister Vijay Wadettiwar said on Friday. He also said that a weekend lockdown was not enough.
He further noted that he would raise the demand with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
Premium "We are doing all we can to check the spread, but it requires strong manpower. We will soon make available five lakh doctors, including those who are completing their post- graduation," the Relief and Rehabilitation Minister told a TV channel, a PTI report said.
He further added, 'We need to bring curbs on the movement of railways and stop crowding in public places to prevent the community spread and save people's lives."
"As relief and rehabilitation minister, I would demand that instead of just a weekend lockdown,we should go for a three-week long strict lockdown. It is required to check the community spread and save lives of people," he said.
Maharashtra is the worst-affected state in the second wave of the pandemic. On Thursday, the state logged 56,286 new COVID cases taking the total number of cases to 32,29,547. Meanwhile, with 376 deaths, the toll rose to 57,028, as per the state health bulletin. This is the highest number of Covid-related deaths recorded this year. The cases in the state have been on a rise since the second week of February. Several districts have announced stringent lockdowns and curfews to prevent the COVID-19 virus surge, local authorities ordered to shut down educational institutions.
The state government on Sunday announced a weekend lockdown and a number of others restrictions that will be in place till April 30, including a night curfew and prohibitory orders during the day time to contain the spread of the virus.
At a pandemic review meeting with chief ministers yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday ruled out a total lockdown to contain the second wave of covid, emphasizing instead on better vaccination, testing, and night curfews, even as several states complained of a severe vaccine shortage.
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Premium Premium India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7 last year, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28 last year, 70 lakh on October 11, 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and the one-crore mark on December 19.
(With inputs from agencies)
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