Maharashtra: 17 villages in Parner taluka opt for voluntary 10-day lockdown

NASHIK: As many as 17 villages in the Parner taluka of Ahmednagar district have opted for 10 days of voluntary lockdown that started on Friday evening.
Sakur — a market and business hub that has been witnessing a steady rise in the number of Covid cases — and other villages around it have taken this decision to curb the spread of the disease.
“After district collector R B Bhosle and Ahmednagar Zilla Parishad CEO Rajendra Kshirsagar visited the area, we unanimously decided to shut down the village to protect ourselves from the infection,” said Shankarrao Khemnar, the sarpanch of Sakur village.
These 16 villages have been collectively registering at least 30-35 daily cases for some time now. On July 29, the number shot up to 63, prompting the administration and elected representatives to discuss the gravity of the situation.
“At present, it would not be right to officially lock down the entire area, as people should now take the responsibility of protecting themselves and the community. The elected representatives in the area have come up with the idea of a voluntary lockdown. This is a good solution,” said collector RB Bhosale.
A meeting of citizens, traders and shopkeepers’ association was recently held and the 10-day lockdown was announced beginning Friday evening. It will end at 5 am on August 9.
“All shops and establishments will remain closed. Everyone has voluntarily supported the call. Only medical stores would remain open till 5 pm every day,” said Khemnar, who is also the chairman of Sangamner Agriculture Produce Market Committee.
Agricultural activities will continue, though shops related to the same will not open. Milk collection will also be carried out in the morning and evening.
However, there will be no public meetings or gatherings during the period, the sarpanch said. The lockdown would also be followed in the smaller villages that depend on Sakur.