Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray asks officials to start preparing for lockdown

Thackeray rued that the citizens were flouting all Covid-19 guidelines, hence the state would be forced to take this step.

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has asked the state officials to start preparing for another lockdown in view of the increasing number of Covid-19 patients and the failure of the citizens to adhere to the prescribed guidelines.

Mumbai, India - February 23, 2020: CM Uddhav Thackeray, Ajit Pawar and Anil Deshmukh along with other political party leader shares the light moment during customary tea party ahead state assembly at Sahyadri Guest House in Mumbai, India, on Sunday, February 23, 2020. (Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/Hindustan Times) (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

Thackeray rued that the citizens were flouting all Covid-19 guidelines, hence the state would be forced to take this step.

This was due to the recommendations of the Covid-19 task force which met on Sunday and recommended strict measures amid a sharp rise in Covid-19 patients as well the death toll.

On Saturday, Maharashtra got 35,726 new patients with a death toll of 166. In Mumbai, it was the highest single-day spike with 6,130 new patients and 12 deaths.

Thackeray blamed the citizens for this impasse saying that people were still not wearing masks, marriages halls were more than limited people, people were crowding the market and not observing social distances while private offices were employing more than 50 per cent of staff.

The chief minister said since it was the responsibility of the government to take care of the health of the citizens, officials were instructed to start preparing for the same. He said in case of a lockdown, the officials need to ensure adequate food grains, medicines, essential services as well as medical care for the citizens. The local administration has been directed to ensure an adequate supply of oxygen and ventilators and deploy private doctors in this task.

Health Minister Rajesh Tope said that since the citizens were not listening and the patients were increasing, the state administration was left with no other option.