Covid-19: Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar warns of stricter weekend curbs

PUNE: Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar on Saturday said the weekend restrictions would be essential to restrict crowding while relaxations were being introduced under the state government’s Break the Chain order and dropped hint at compulsory 15-day quarantine of people stepping out for monsoon trips on Saturdays and Sundays after they returned to the district.
“In the wake of the increased crowding, observed especially during weekends, we might have to impose more stricter restrictions. If the situation improves further, a decision on this would be taken after a review,” Ajit Pawar told reporters after the weekly Covid review meeting on Saturday.
He asked people not to lower their guard against Covid-19 in view of the possible third wave of the pandemic. He cautioned residents against visiting tourist spots during weekends in the present scenario just because the restrictions had been eased.
Ajit Pawar said police officers and public representatives expressed concern over people heading to Mahabaleshwar, Lonavala and other tourist places in large numbers over the weekends. “I don’t understand why people are doing this? A lot of people have started going to tourist places out of the state. Some are going for trekking. If this continues, there will be no option but to quarantine people going out of the district for 15 days,” he said.
“The fear of the third wave is still there in the US and the UK despite large-scale vaccination. So, there is a need to be cautious here also,” he said.
Ajit Pawar said the Covid death analysis in four major hospitals in the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) areas revealed that 53% deceased were aged below 60 years, while 20% were in the age group of 21 to 45. A similar survey would be carried out by the Pune Municipal Corporation also, he said.
Union home secretary Ajay Bhalla in his note to all the chief secretaries on Saturday advised states to be cautious while opening up and ensure that there was no let-up in adhering to Covid-appropriate behaviour.