Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar has said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will take every effort to avoid lockdown in India’s financial capital, but will have to follow the government rules to impose lockdown if the daily number of Covid-19 cases the 20,000-mark.
She said lockdown will have a major impact on the city’s economy and hence people must cooperate with the civic body and follow the Covid-19 norms.
Speaking to reporters in Mumbai Pendekar said: “ Nobody wants lockdown and there should not be any lockdown. Just now everyone is recovering from the losses (incurred during the earlier lockdowns). If again we go for lockdown there will be a huge impact (on the economy). Now it is up to citizens to avoid lockdowns. Everyone must strictly follow SoPs and wear masks and get vaccines”.
She further said routine work must continue and if all precautions are taken there will be no need for imposing lockdowns.
“We have to follow the State and the union government’s rules,” said Mayor, adding that number of patients in the city cannot be ignored.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray is likely to make a detailed announcement about the measures being taken in the State to curb the rising number of Covid-19 patients, she added.
“I will not say there is a third wave, but we are trying to stop the third wave,” said the Mayor.
Sealing of buildings
Pednekar said the BMC has issued fresh guidelines for sealing buildings in the city if a large number of Covid-19 cases are detected among the occupants.
The entire building or a wing would be sealed if more than 20 per cent of the occupied number of flats in the building or wing has Covid-19 patients. Mayor said the new rules have already come into force as the number of Covid-19 patients is rising in the city’s posh areas with high rises.