Maharashtra may impose complete lockdown from April 14

The government consulted the state’s Covid-19 task force, comprising experts, doctors and senior officials, with a majority of them suggesting a lockdown of at least 14 days

The Maharashtra government is likely to impose a complete lockdown, on the lines of the current weekend curbs, from April 14. The government consulted the state’s Covid-19 task force, comprising experts, doctors and senior officials, with a majority of them suggesting a lockdown of at least 14 days. Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has ordered officials to work out a standard operating procedure (SOP) to be adopted for the lockdown. It is also working on a proposal for a relief package for those most likely to be affected by the shutdown. Thackeray is also set to call a cabinet meeting before taking a final decision, earlier in the day on April 14.

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Also, Maharashtra on Sunday recorded its highest one-day spike of 63,294 Covid-19 cases.

“Majority of the members from the task force opined that the lockdown is necessary considering the shortage of beds, especially oxygen beds and ICU beds, and there is no option left. The CM may call a cabinet meeting and take a final decision on April 14,” state health minister Rajesh Tope said after the task force meeting late on Sunday.

“We are on top in vaccinations, but will improve this further and immunise maximum people, which will help us in stopping the third wave of Covid-19. However, to stop the ongoing wave we have imposed some strict restrictions even for a limited period of time,” the chief minister said in the meeting.

The chief minister also said that he will again request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide more vaccine doses to Maharaashtra.

“It is likely that the state will impose a two-week lockdown as it will make no sense to impose less than that. To break the transmission it is necessary to impose it for two weeks. By imposing it from April 14, the state is also giving two days to the people to make necessary preparations for the lockdown,” said a senior official, wishing not to be named.

A day after reaching consensus with leaders from all political parties over imposing a complete lockdown in Maharashtra, the chief minister called for a meeting with the task force and later with senior officials, along with chief secretary Sitaram Kunte at his official residence ‘Varsha’ on Sunday night.

The chief minister has ordered the finance department to work on a relief package to be given to the most affected sections of society. He also had a word with deputy chief minister and finance minister Ajit Pawar on phone along with other senior ministers Balasaheb Thorat (revenue minister) and Dilip Walse Patil (home minister) and is likely to hold a meeting with the deputy chief minister and others on Monday, said a senior official, requesting anonymity.

The relief package may include the distribution of foodgrains, cash assistance to construction workers and labourers among others.

In the task force meeting, Kunte informed that the state is using 980 metric tonnes of the total 1,200 metric tonnes of oxygen being produced in Maharashtra. Considering the spike in cases, it is likely to start consuming 100% oxygen in the next few days. It is coordinating with the central government to get oxygen supply from other states.

Currently, the weekend lockdown is imposed from Friday 8pm till Monday 7am, in which it has restricted unnecessary travelling and shut down all establishments, except those of essential services and take-aways from hotels and restaurants, along with home deliveries by e-commerce firms.

The state government may allow public transport to function, but with restrictions, so that people can travel from one place to another in an emergency situation, said another official. Officials expressed concern over shortage of beds and its fast-depleting oxygen supply across the state. It was pointed out that the state has reported 400,000 new cases in the past week and recorded 1,982 casualties. The positivity rate of the state is around 26% at present.

Officials also informed that 75% ICU beds, 40% oxygen beds are occupied and there are around 11-12 districts where beds are not available for new patients. The state government had to request the railways for developing isolation beds facilities in railway bogies to cope with the shortage in Nandurbar.