Sealing of buildings back in Mumbai amid Maharashtra Covid-19 surge

Buildings in Mumbai that house five or more Covid-19 patients will be sealed, according to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), reacting to the steady spike in infections across the city and Maharashtra over the past few weeks with a string of measures that brought an uneasy lockdown déjà vu.

Buildings in Mumbai that house five or more Covid-19 patients will be sealed, according to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), reacting to the steady spike in infections across the city and Maharashtra over the past few weeks with a string of measures that brought an uneasy lockdown déjà vu. Mumbaiites who are high-risk contacts of Covid-19 patients could face up to six months imprisonment, or a fine of at least ₹200, or even both, if they break their home quarantine, the civic body also ruled.

(Satish Bate/HT Photo)

Maharashtra had reported its first case in March 2020, which was followed by strict shutdowns and curbs that were being lifted in a staggered manner only over the past few months. The local train services for all resumed only this month. On Thursday, the civic body decided it will file first information reports (FIR) against homequarantine violators and then send them to mandatory institutional quarantine, under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897.

According to officials, one such FIR was filed against a resident of Chandivli by the BMC with the Powai police, under sections 188 and 269 of the IPC. A building in Mahim was sealed after five patients were detected there.

Maharashtra on Thursday recorded 5,427 cases, first spike in excess of 5,000 in 76 days (since December 4), and 38 deaths, taking the tally to 2,081,520 and toll to 51,669. Mumbai on Thursday recorded 736 new cases and three deaths due to the infection. The total has now gone up to 316,487, and the toll is 11,432. There are 4,782 active cases in the city. Mumbai had on Wednesday recorded 721 new Covid-19 cases, the highest since January 6 (795 new cases).

The latest directives were given by municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal on Thursday.

State health minister Rajesh Tope on Thursday tested positive for Covid-19. He was admitted to Fortis Hospital in Mulund, officials said. “I have tested positive for coronavirus. Though I am doing fine and following the advice of the doctors... With all your blessings, I will defeat Corona and will be at your services soon. Those who have come in contact in the last few days should take all the precautions and get tested...,” Tope tweeted.

This was during a review meeting held via video conferencing with all assistant commissioners, deputy municipal commissioners and additional commissioners. The civic body is also reverting to earlier stringent containment measures. If five or more patients are detected in a building, the BMC will now seal the entire building as a containment zone. All high-risk contacts of patients will be hand-stamped, and BMC Covid-19 war room officials will telephone home-quarantined patients five to six times a day to check if they are at home. Among other measures, BMC will trace at least 15 close contacts per patient, who will go through mandatory home or institutional quarantine; action will be taken against those found in playgrounds and parks without wearing masks; a gathering of more than 50 people at a time will not be allowed at religious places and at weddings. The Mumbai police are now empowered to fine those not wearing masks, in addition to clean-up marshals

Chahal on Thursday confirmed that FIRs will be lodged against citizens who break home-quarantine rules. The municipal commissioner also issued a circular and said, “It has been observed that after the ‘Mission Begin Again’ [a staggered plan to lift curbs] was launched, many citizens are stepping out of their homes and roaming in public places without wearing masks, which is not only unsafe for them, but also for fellow citizens.”

The circular reiterated that is compulsory to wear masks while using public transport, commuting in public places such as streets, footpaths, markets, shopping centres, malls, restaurants, gymnasiums, offices, clinics and hospital premises. It is compulsory to wear masks at wedding ceremonies, religious places of worship. The circular also rapped government officers, saying no one will be allowed to attend meetings or enter institutional premises without wearing a mask.

BMC will now conduct regular inspections at marriage halls and wedding ceremonies. Surprise inspections will take place in at least five such places every day. If any persons are found to be violating rules according to the act, criminal action will be taken against the management of the premises, and organisers (parents, family members) of the wedding.

There are presently 2,400 clean-up marshals in Mumbai, who will fine those not wearing masks and spitting in public places. This number will be doubled to 4,800 marshals. The target given to the marshals to take action against citizens has also been doubled from the current average of 12,500 citizens to 25,000 per day. Marshals will patrol the city at night as well, and 300 marshals will travel in local trains to fine those not wearing masks during their commute. Those not wearing masks will be punished under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code, and fined Rs200.

Every ward will now have at least one CCC1 and CCC2 centres for quarantine of high-risk contacts and asymptomatic patients. BMC will also map areas where a high number of cases are being detected, to maximise testing in these areas. So far, BMC has conducted 3,080,528 tests since March.

Travelers from Brazil will also to be sent to mandatory institutional-quarantine facilities. So far, travellers from UK, Europe, Middle East and South Africa are sent to mandatory institutional quarantine facilities.

On Tuesday, Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar had warned the city of another lockdown if citizens did not follow Covid-19 rules.

Meanwhile, an order issued by Yavatmal collector M Devender Singh stated that not more five people shall be gathered at a time in the district as well as in city areas. Not more than 50 people can attend all large gatherings for religious processions, festivals and any other purposes. The collector has banned all processions and rallies and also restricted the number of people to 20 for attending last rites of a deceased. It has restricted timings of shops and markets till 8pm at night and hotels and restaurants till 9.30pm. All schools and colleges will remain closed till February 28. Educational institutions can continue studies through online classes. “Those not using masks at public places will be fined ₹500 for the first time, ₹750 for second time offence and a fine of ₹1,000 and a criminal case for repeated offence will be registered after that, stated the order. All the restrictions will be enforced Friday midnight (February 19 midnight).

In Akola, complete lockdown will be imposed between 8pm on Saturday and 6am on Monday morning. It means no one will be allowed to move freely anywhere in the district except medical services, wholesale milk and vegetable supplies, auto rickshaw for travellers coming through railways and bus services, highways and dhabas at highways etc.. The district collector Jitendra Papalkar has also decided to impose night curfew between 8pm and 6am, which means not more than five people can gather at a place. Not more than 50 people can attend wedding ceremonies, if violated they will be fined the management will have to pay ₹10,000 as penalty besides ₹200 will be fined against each person other than 50 people, states the order. The district collector has restricted timings of shops, markets, hotels, restaurants, theatres etc. till 8pm at night. All schools and colleges will remain closed till February 28. All the restrictions will be enforced from Thursday till further onwards.

ABOUT THE FIR

One such FIR against a woman for violating home-quarantine rules was filed by the L-ward on Thursday, with jurisdiction over areas such as Kurla. A senior civic officer said, “She was a high-risk contact of a patient as her neighbour had tested positive for Covid-19. When ward officers called to check if she was at home, she did not respond. So BMC staff visited her home and found she was not home, and that her house help takes her dog for a walk twice a day, daily. An FIR has been filed against her with the Powai police station.” The FIR was filed as per provisions of the Epidemic Diseases act 1897, under sections 188 and 269 of the Indian Penal code. While section 188 prescribes punishment with imprisonment up to a month, or a fine of ₹200, or both, section 269 prescribes imprisonment up to six months, or a fine, or both.

BMC’s G/North ward, corresponding to areas of Dadar, Mahim, and Dharavi, on Thursday sealed one building in Mahim, after five patients, all belonging to one family, were detected. The building has seven floors, of which the second floor houses the residence of the patients. The third, fourth, and fifth floors are commercial floors, and the sixth and seventh are residential floors. The first floor is vacant.

(with inputs from Faisal Malik)