E-Paper
Covid-19: Maharashtra may discuss plans to ease curbs in some areas today
Coronavirus Update: The restrictions in densely populated urban centres of Maharashtra such as Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, which are earmarked as red zones, as they have reported over 15 Covid-19 cases, are expected to be further tightened.
The Maharashtra government has started chalking out its plan about how to implement the extended statewide lockdown till April 30 to contain the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak by dividing the districts in three distinctive zones --- red, orange and green -- and begin industrial activities in those that have not reported a single positive case to date. The state government may relax the lockdown restrictions in the second phase in eight Covid-19-free districts, officials said.
The plan will be finalised after a meeting to be held later on Monday.
On Monday morning, Maharashtra reported 82 new Covid-19 positive cases, as the total count rose to 2,064. Of them, Mumbai alone has reported 1,357. Of the 82 new cases, Mumbai has reported 59, Malegaon 12, Thane five, Pimpri-Chinchwad three, Palghar two and Vasai Virar one. The state has also reported 149 Covid-19 related deaths so far.
Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray hinted last week at relaxing the restrictions in some parts of the state. Thackeray also warned that the lockdown could be extended further if people don’t strictly follow the restrictions. The restrictions in densely populated urban centres such as Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, which are earmarked as red zones, as they have reported over 15 Covid-19 cases, are expected to be further tightened.
The state government has tweaked its strategy for the containment zones in these districts, as the movements in these areas are going to be restricted further after the deployment of additional security forces. The districts that have been earmarked as green zones, where no Covid-19 positive case has been reported, are likely to get more relaxations as far as lockdown is concerned. Gadchiroli, Chandrapur, Wardha, Bhandara, Nanded, Solapur, Parbhani, and Nandurbar are part of the green zones in the state.
State health minister Rajesh Tope has hinted that industrial units can resume their operations in these eight districts, which fall under the category of green zones, if they scale down their workforce in a bid to maintain social distancing norms.
While the districts earmarked as orange zones, which have reported less than 15 Covid-19 positive cases, are likely to see a relaxation in the supply of essential services.
