CM Uddhav Thackeray to announce decision on Maharashtra lockdown on Wednesday

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Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray is expected to announce a total lockdown in Maharashtra from Wednesday. The state cabinet took an extreme measure on Tuesday at its weekly meeting in which all ministers insisted on imposing a lockdown without delay. The cabinet set a deadline of Wednesday evening and authorised Thackeray to make an announcement, in anticipation of breaking the chain of the novel coronavirus infection because the restrictions imposed last week haven't yielded expected results.

The cabinet was given a presentation on the caseload spike that is becoming too difficult to handle for want of medicine, beds and oxygen. Guardian ministers narrated the utter disregard the public has been showing to the restrictions in their respective districts. The ministers, who last week opposed the CM's stand that only a blanket lockdown could be useful, on Tuesday urged Thackeray to take an extreme step.

Public health minister Rajesh Tope said after the cabinet meeting that all ministers asked Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to announce a decision to impose a blanket lockdown from Wednesday itself because the restrictions imposed last week haven't been effective in arresting the spike in active cases.

"We have taken a decision to impose lockdown from Wednesday evening. The CM will be making an announcement to this effect," said Tope.

Parliamentary affairs minister Anil Parab, apparently speaking on his party boss Thackeray's behalf, said the CM will be making an announcement on Wednesday after giving each aspect a serious thought.

Earlier in the day, the government took a step towards lockdown by capping the timing of essential commodity shops between 7 and 11 am.

Tope said, "We haven't been using the term ‘lockdown' to describe restrictions that were imposed last week. But today, all of us felt that a complete lockdown was necessary to control the growth of infection".

Public transport for essential workers and other essential measures will be allowed, added Tope. "The government will also think of the workforce which gets affected by the lockdown," he added.

-Oxygen mitigation

Six thermal power plants where oxygen is produced will have liquid bottling plants set up on their premises. The bottles will be distributed to the districts in the neighbourhood.

"At present we get 1,500MT and will get more in days to come, but we cannot go beyond 2,000 metric tonnes of oxygen we get or will get from manufacturers inside and outside Maharashtra,"said Tope.

So, to ramp up in-house production, the government will buy oxygen generators. Government officers will be deputed in the plants to expedite manufacturing of the machines. Each district has been asked to buy at least 200 oxygen concentrators.

Chief Secretary and secretaries of departments involved in pandemic management have been vested with powers to clear purchases without any delay.

--State to import vaccines

Tope said the state will import vaccines in order to accelerate vaccination of above 18 years. "There will be no compromise on vaccination of the young people who go out for jobs. Since vaccinating the 18-45 age group is the state's responsibility, we decided today to spend whatever is needed. We may even divert development funds for the state's inoculation programme. We will also import vaccines," said Tope.

Maharashtra government's order on shops allowed to operate only between 7 am and 11 am.

'All groceries, vegetable shops, fruit vendors, dairies, bakeries, confectionaries, all type of food shops (including chicken, mutton, poultry, fish and eggs), shops related to agricultural implements and farm produce, pet food shops, shops related to materials for impending rainy season for individuals as well as for organisations to be open only between 7 am to 11 am.

'Home delivery from the said shops however will be allowed between 7 am to 8 pm. These timings however may be changed by the local authority.

'The local Disaster Management Authorities to include any additional entities/ services as essential under Section (2) only after the consent of the State Disaster Management Authority.

'The following directions will remain in force from 8 pm on Tuesday till 7 am on May 1.

(The orders are subject to amendment in case a total lockdown is announced)