Won’t deploy Army in city, may just take help to give cops rest: Uddhav

Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday dismissed rumours that the Indian Army would be deployed in Mumbai. However, he said the state may request the Centre to

Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday dismissed rumours that the Indian Army would be deployed in Mumbai. However, he said the state may request the Centre to deploy forces to allow police personnel to take rest in phases. Thackeray admitted that although the lockdown has helped keep the spread of the virus in check, it has “not been successful in breaking the chain”.

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“For the past few days, rumours that ‘the Army would be deployed, a lockdown would be imposed and all shops will be shut’ have been doing the rounds. Why do we need the Army? Till date, I have done everything after taking you into confidence, and will continue to do so. We went into lockdown gradually, so we do not need the Army. We are the jawans [soldiers] in this fight. The Army will not come to Mumbai,” Thackeray said in his address on Friday evening. “The police are tired, but they are still working. Some have unfortunately died. To give them a break only when they burn out would be cruel; they also require rest in between. I want to ask the Centre if there is any way we can get additional manpower, so our police force can take breaks in phases. They can then get back to their job…Please don’t equate it to calling the Army.”

Thackeray appealed to people to strictly adhere to the norms to wipe out the disease. “There are [Covid-19] cases being reported in the red zones and containment zones of Mumbai, Pune, Aurangabad, Malegaon and Nagpur. There can be no relaxation there. The lockdown is like a speed-breaker. It has helped us reduce the speed at which the disease spreads. But we have not been successful in breaking the chain of the virus. We have to break it anyhow. How long can this lockdown go on? Now we should prepare so that the transmission and spread of this virus ends once and for all,” the CM said.

The chief minister said the state was preparing for an eventuality where more hospital beds, doctors, nursing staff are required. He said the government has sought military hospital and repurposed railway coaches, along with Covid Care facilities at NSCI Dome in Worli, MMRDA Grounds in Bandra-Kurla Complex, NESCO exhibition centre in Goregaon, and Mahalaxmi Race Course. “We may double the capacity at BKC and erect such centres at other locations. We are preparing in case we need to accommodate some asymptomatic patients at these centres. We have to take into account the onset of monsoon. I had written to Centre, which has been accepted, that, if required, we should be allowed to use the services of doctors and hospital facilities of central agencies, including railways, army, Mumbai Port Trust,” Thackeray said.

Thackeray also expressed pain over the accident of migrant labourers in Aurangabad. “I am pained today due to the railway accident in Jalna. We have started making arrangements for special trains to transport the migrants to their states. Don’t believe any rumour. I request you stay where you are and don’t panic,” he said.

He added that the Centre, Maharashtra government and the state governments where the migrants intend to go are in touch.

Speaking on the incident at Sion Hospital in Mumbai that came to light through a video, Thackeray said negligence will not be tolerated. A video went viral on Thursday where two wrapped bodies of Covid victims were kept in the ward where patients were being treated. “I can’t tolerate such negligence. I always say that the police and doctors are God for us. Nobody should fight with them and there shouldn’t be any attacks on them. Similarly, I want to tell doctors that there shouldn’t be any negligence in hospitals. When everything is going fine, don’t put us in a situation where we are forced to take action against you.”

The CM also said that although the number is rising daily, the number of recovered patients is also substantial. He appealed to people to come forward in case of symptoms.