Uddhav Thackeray imposes Sec 144 in Maharashtra amid Covid-19 crisis: 10 points

Announcing a slew of restrictions, Thackeray said that the situation in Maharashtra is dreadful and the increase in cases has now burdened the health infrastructure.

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday said Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) will be clamped across the state till May 1 in order to bring the coronavirus crisis under control. Announcing a slew of restrictions, Thackeray said that the situation in Maharashtra is dreadful and the increase in cases has now burdened the health infrastructure.

Vehicle travels along a deserted Marine Drive during a weekend lockdown in Mumbai, India, on Saturday, April 10, 2021. (Bloomberg)

The government has shut the cinema halls, theatres, auditoriums, amusement parks, gyms, sports complexes. Shooting for films, serial, ads has also been closed. All shops, malls, shopping centres that are not performing essential services will also remain closed from 8pm on April 14 to 7am May 1.

Here are the highlights from CM Uddhav Thackeray's address:

• The Covid situation in the state has become dreadful. Today, Maharashtra has added 60,212 fresh cases. This wave is massive. We don't even know if we are close to the peak of Covid cases as of yet.
• The increase in cases has now burdened the health infrastructure. We are augmenting health infrastructure in Mumbai, Vidarbha and other regions.
• In the last few days, I have interacted with people from all walks of lives to get a consensus. But now discussions will not help.
• We are facing a shortage of oxygen, beds. Demand for Remdesivir has also soared.
• We have apprised the Prime Minister of the situation. We have told PM Modi that we will need oxygen from other states. The states will be allowed to provide oxygen to Maharashtra, including the northeastern states and West Bengal. I am writing to PM to allow the air force to supply oxygen.

• Another demand is to push the deadline by three months to file GST returns of small and medium enterprises.
• The vaccination drive has been ramped up. Though this will not help to come out of this Covid wave, it will help prevent another such wave in the future.
• I appeal to doctors, retired nurses, healthcare workers to come forward and fight Covid-19.
• People have to decide whether they want to help Corona or the government that is working to curb it.