With Covid-19 cases in Mumbai catapulting to new heights with each passing day, many areas in the state of Maharashtra have put curbs in a bid to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The latest to join the list are Nagpur where lockdown was imposed from March 15-21 and Nanded where additional restrictions have been put in place till 21 March. In Nagpur, which registered 1,710 cases on Wednesday, only essential services will be allowed.
Earlier, in the twin townships of Kalyan-Dombivli, municipal commissioner Dr. Vijay Suryawanshi announced that non-essential shops cannot stay open for more than six days a week and beyond 7 pm any day. Additionally, all the shops will have to remain shut either on Saturday or Sunday on an alternate basis. Restrictions were also imposed for essential shops which will be required to shut down at 9 pm, two hours before the current deadline of 11 pm. However, no curbs were imposed on hotels and restaurants. They can continue to stay open and deliver till 11 am although food stalls were asked to shut by 7 am in view of overcrowding which can risk the chances of spread.
Here’s the lowdown on the various restrictions imposed across the state to curb the spread of coronavirus:
• Nanded has announced additional restrictions from 12 to 21 March in view of rising Covid infections. The district has ordered all coaching classes to be shut, shops will remain open only from 7 am to 7 pm. The authority has also ordered weekly bazaars to be shut and no weddings are allowed from 16 to 21 March.
• Thane district collector Rajesh Narvekar on Wednesday issued a circular saying March 15 onwards, schools for classes 5-8 will remain shut till further notice in the rural areas. It also announced a lockdown between March 13 and 31 in 11 hotspots of the city.
• The district administration in Nashik imposed a weekend lockdown along with several restrictions starting from Tuesday after it witnessed a rapid surge in its covid-19 cases. The administration said no weddings will be allowed from March 15. Marriage functions that had got permission earlier will be allowed to take place till March 15 after which no new nod would be given. Schools, colleges, coaching classes will remain closed in Nashik city. But temples, mosques will remain open till 7 pm. However, on weekends, places of worship will remain closed. Scheduled examinations such as UPSC and MPSC will be conducted as usual.
• The Aurangabad district on Sunday had ordered night restrictions from 9 pm to 6 am from 11 March to 4 April to contain the virus spread. Alongside the Maharashtra Minister Eknath Shinde further informed that there will be full lockdown on weekends in the district. Malls and weekly markets will be shut, weddings and public functions disallowed and restaurants will have to be shut at 9 pm, according to official reports.
• A Janata curfew has been imposed in Jalgaon for three days. An order in this regard was issued by the District Magistrate, which says that Janata’s curfew will be observed on March 12, 13, and 14. During the Janata curfew, only essential services will be allowed.
• Amid the surge in Covid cases, Mumbai’s guardian minister Aslam Shaikh said that people are being fined for violating Covid-19 protocols. He also warned that if cases continue to rise, then there is a possibility of nightclubs being closed down first in the city. ‘If people forgo precautions, then beaches and the Gateway in Mumbai might also need to be shut’ said Aslam Shaikh.
• Earlier CM Thackeray had also hinted at reimposing a Covid-19 lockdown to break the chain of transmission. While addressing a meeting, the CM initially expressed his disinterest in a lockdown but said he would be pushed to impose one if precautions are not followed by the public. “I do not want to impose it but ‘majboori’ (helplessness) is also something.” the Maharashtra CM was quoted saying.
• At present, there are 99,008 active cases in the state. Mumbai city reported 1,539 cases, Pune city 1,384, Nagpur city 1,513, Nashik city 750, Yavatmal district 403, Aurangabad 560, and Pimpri Chinchwad 590.
• To boost the vaccination drive, the BMC on Wednesday gave blanket permission to all covid-19 facilities to operate 24/7 to administer Covid-19 vaccines and set a target of 75,000 covid-19 shots per day.
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