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In CM Uddhav’s address, assurance for MPSC students and lockdown warning
Uddhav Thackeray’s address to Maharashtra came on a day the state recorded 14,317 new Covid-19 cases, its highest single-day count in 2021.
Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday addressed the state amid a rise in its daily cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). Thackeray spoke about concerns of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) examinees and reiterated that he doesn’t want to impose a lockdown in the western state.
“MPSC exams will be held within a week, I have directed the chief secretary and MPSC officials to announce a new date by tomorrow,” the chief minister said, adding that the exams were postponed due to the rise in Covid-19 cases.
“I have directed that only those officials and employees, who have taken vaccine against coronavirus or tested negative for the disease, be assigned to conduct the exams,” he further said. Thackeray further assured that no student would suffer due to age bar amid delay in conducting the exams.
On Thursday evening, thousands of students, who were to appear for the MPSC exams on March 14, took to streets in various parts of the state, including Pune, upon postponement for a fifth time.
Also Read | Frequent cancellations of MPSC exams, fear of age disqualifications put angry students on the streets
Speaking about lockdown, the Shiv Sena supremo, who took his first shot of the Covid-19 vaccine earlier in the day, said, “We don’t want to impose lockdown but for that, you will have to follow some restrictions. Follow all the appropriate Covid-19 behaviour or else we will have to impose a lockdown.”
Also Read | Covid cases soar in Maharashtra, CM Uddhav Thackeray mulls lockdown in some places
The Centre has repeatedly expressed concerns over the surge in cases of the viral disease in Maharashtra, including on Thursday. The state reported 14,317 new infections and 57 deaths on the day, taking its infection tally to 2,266,374 and the related death toll to 57. On Wednesday, there were 13,659 cases and 54 fatalities. Maharashtra’s Covid-19 tally is the highest in the country by a distance.
Also Read | Pune, Nagpur, Thane, Mumbai: List of districts with highest active Covid cases
Mumbai, its capital city, saw 1,509 new infections and four deaths, taking the total tally and fatalities here to 338,643 and 11,519 respectively. On Wednesday, 1,539 cases and five deaths were detected in the metropolis.
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