Self-discipline real weapon, says Navi Mumbai civic chief ahead of Diwali

Abhijit Bangar, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation commissioner, said that if the city faces another wave of coronavirus, it could be more fatal

Even as Navi Mumbai has seen a huge dip in Covid positive cases, the civic commissioner has appealed to people to celebrate the festival with utmost care.

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters at CBD Belapur lit up for Diwali on Friday. (Bachchan Kumar/HT photo)

Abhijit Bangar, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation commissioner, said that if the city faces another wave, it could be more fatal.

“All have been under restrictions since the last nine months. The per-day active cases have gone down drastically. Some of the Covid centres have also been shut due to lack of patients. It doesn’t mean that the virus has disappeared. The danger on each one of us is still there. While visiting the market, people are seen in a festive mood. Each one of us has to keep in mind that even while enjoying a festival, the guidelines need to be followed. Masks have to be worn always and social-distancing has to be maintained,” Bangar said.

Bangar insisted that self-discipline is the biggest feature to fight the pandemic. “With every ‘Mission Begin Again’ notification, we are easing on some or the other restriction. People need to understand that one small mistake can lead them to travel backwards towards the restrictions again. The other countries are prime examples of how a second or third wave is much more disastrous than the first. Be it any festival, self-discipline in the celebrations is a must,” Bangar added.

NGT has enforced a ban in cities and towns in the country where the average of ambient air quality during November (according to available data from last year) has dropped below the ‘poor’ category.

“As per the notification of NGT, Navi Mumbai falls under this category and hence we decided to not give permission to anyone to sell fire crackers. Since there is no sale, there should not be any bursting of crackers as well. If anyone is found bursting, the law enforcement agency would look at the action to be taken,” Bangar said.