Corona scare: State may ask to postpone IPL; to curtail budget session

The Maharashtra government on Wednesday decided to curtail the ongoing budget session by this week and is mulling whether to hold Indian Premier League (IPL) matches

The Maharashtra government on Wednesday decided to curtail the ongoing budget session by this week and is mulling whether to hold Indian Premier League (IPL) matches without an audience or ask the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to postpone the matches.

HT Image

“BCCI is ready to hold the IPL tournament without audience. It means there will be no sale of tickets. However, we are yet to receive any official request. We will consider it after receiving. If necessary, the IPL matches can be postponed,” chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said.

Thackeray said that there is also a view within the government to postpone the matches. “If needed, it [the tournament] won’t be made an exception,” he said.

“There are spectators for many matches being played in the country currently. That said, we are monitoring the situation. The IPL governing council is meeting on Saturday (March 14). That’s when we will look at all the factors and take a decision,” IPL chairman Brijesh Patel told HT.

The state has also decided to cancel or postpone all large public gatherings and political events across the state. As a precautionary measure, all civic commissioners have been asked to not issue permissions for such events. Following a review meeting, Thackeray said authorities have established contact with all the 40 people who were part of the group that flew in from Dubai on March 1 and which comprises eight of the state’s known COVID-19 cases.

Authorities have also tracked those who have come in contact with them. Thackeray further said that authorities had a discussion with all tour operators in the state, who has informed them that there are around 850-1,000 people from the state in foreign countries. “We have asked them to inform the health department officials as soon as they arrive in the state so that they can be properly screened,” he said.

Earlier in the day, the state cabinet had discussed a proposal to allow the IPL to conduct matches without the audience to prevent gathering of people which could lead to spread of the epidemic. The cabinet was also of the view that the government should allow IPL matches if they are happening sans audience. However, after two patients in Mumbai tested positive for corona virus, Thackeray as well as health minister Rajesh Tope seemed to be in favour of not holding the matches. “No final decision is taken on the issue,” Tope said.

It has also decided to curtail the ongoing budget session of the state legislature by Saturday or Sunday. A proposal to this effect will be brought before both the Houses for approval on Thursday, said Thackeray. The decision was taken only to avoid stress on state administration and allow officials and legislators to fulfil their on-field responsibilities, Thackeray said.

The session was scheduled to close by the end of the month. He also said that the state government is not taking any decision on declaring holidays in schools as of now. “We are reviewing the situation after every two hours. According to experts there is no need to take such a decision at present. We will wait for the next two days to see how situation is unfolding and then take a call. We don’t want people to panic unnecessarily. Also exams are going on in some schools,” Thackeray said.

Thackeray said the state government has requested the Union health minister Harsh Vardhan to authorise a few more laboratories to conduct the tests as it is currently available only in Pune, Mumbai and Nagpur.

Tope also said 650-700 beds in hospitals and medical colleges across the state are being used for setting up isolation wards and the medical staff is trained to handle the situation. There is enough stock of medicine and medical equipment if needed, he added.

The state cabinet has also decided to postpone the centenary celebrations of Mangaon Conference to be held in Mangaon village of Kolhapur district on March 21. The Mangaon Conference was organised for the rights of untouchables by social reformer Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj and Dr BR Ambedkar in Kolhapur district in 1920.