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Centre applauds Maharashtra’s Worli Covid-19 containment model, may replicate
Maharashtra continues to top the country’s list with the maximum number of Covid-19 positive cases, as 552 new cases were reported on Tuesday, taking the total count to 5,218.
The five-member inter-ministerial central team (IMCT), which is on a visit to Mumbai for an on-spot assessment, has praised Maharashtra government and concluded that Worli Koliwada area could become a model for the rest of the country to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in a cluster, a statement from the chief minister’s office (CMO) said on Wednesday.
Earlier, the Centre had raised concerns over the implementation of the ongoing lockdown protocol and other measures in Mumbai and Pune, which have emerged as Covid-19 hotspots.
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The team led by Manoj Joshi, additional secretary, Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries, visited the slums in Worli Koliwada on Tuesday for an on-spot inspection of the area. Worli Koliwada falls in the G-South ward of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which has reported 487 Covid-19 positive cases --- the maximum in any cluster in the country -- to date. Aaditya Thackeray, state minister for tourism and environment, represents the area in Maharashtra assembly.
The IMCT team praised the Maharashtra government’s efforts in breaking the chain of SARS-CoV-2, which causes the disease, infection in Worli Koliwada. “The team, led by Mr. Joshi, has said that Worli Koliwada can be a good example in the country for making it Covid-19 free. If the same efforts are replicated in other containment zones, it will help break the chain of the viral outbreak,” a statement from the CMO said.
However, the team expressed concern over the high rate of Covid-19 mortality in Mumbai, which stood at 151 till Tuesday, during a meeting with state chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. The lack of containment in densely populated Dharavi, Asia’s largest slum, is also another area of concern that figured during the talks.
Maharashtra continues to top the country’s list with the maximum number of Covid-19 positive cases, as 552 new cases were reported on Tuesday, taking the total count to 5,218. Mumbai is the epicentre for Covid-19 positive cases in the state, as 419 new cases were reported on Tuesday, and the overall tally in the city stood at 3,451. The state also reported 19 fresh Covid-19 related death on Tuesday, of which 12 were in Mumbai, three in Pune, two in Thane and one each in Sangli and Pimpri-Chinchawad. Maharashtra has reported 251 Covid-19 related fatalities so far.
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The state government issued an order on Tuesday, reversing the earlier relaxations provided in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and the Pune Metropolitan Region (PMR) because of the spike in the number of Covid-19 positive case. The fresh order has banned private building construction activities, the opening of sweet and confectionery shops selling farsan and other edibles. Information technology companies also have been barred from operating with around 50% of their staff strength. However, these relaxations are applicable in other parts of the state amid the ongoing nationwide lockdown restrictions, which was initially enforced for 21 days from March 25 and then further extended by another 19 days till May 3 to contain the spread of Covid-19 outbreak.
The state government has also ordered to put a stop on the civic authorities’ pre-monsoon work till further notice. Construction work on major infrastructure projects, including Metro, coastal road, etc., has also been halted.
