Shops, biz units, private firms in Gr Mumbai, 4 cities shut till March 31
CM brings down attendance limit in Govt offices to 25%, DCM says closure order will last till further orders; Govt cancels Class 1 to 8th exams in schools, defers remaining 9th & 11th exams to mid-April
Intensifying the measures to combat Coronavirus in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday ordered closure of all shops, business establishments and private firms in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Nagpur till March 31 and reduced the employees’ attendance limit in government offices to 25 per cent, even as the total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases rose to 52.
Hours after the chief minister made an announcement about the lockdown till March 31, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said in Pune that all shops, business establishments and private firms in MMR and three other cities in the state will remain closed not just till March 31 but the closure order would remain in force till further orders.
Simultaneously, State Education Minister Vasha Gaikwad announced the cancellation of examinations for first to eighth standards in schools across the State and said the remaining examinations for the ninth and 11th standards would be held after April 15. “However, the ongoing SSC examinations for the remaining subjects will be held as scheduled. All teachers except those taking classes for the 10th standard have been asked to work from home,” the minister said.
With three more persons testing positive for Coronavirus in different parts of the state on Thursday, the total number of confirmed Covid-19 rose to 52. Pune and the neighbouring Pimpri-Chinchwad have accounted for a maximum of 21 cases, the break-up of positive Coronavirus cases elsewhere in the State is: Mumbai-11, Nagpur-4, Yavatmal-3, Navi Mumbai-3, Kalyan-3, Panvel-1, Thane-1, Ulhasnagar, Ahmednagar-2, Aurangabad-1 and Ratnagiri-1. Of the patients who had tested positive for Covid-19, a 63-year-old disease-infected had died at the Kasurba Hospital on Tuesday.
Addressing the people across the State live through social media, the Chief Minister said the order closing down all shops, business establishments and private firms in MMR and three other cities in the state would come in force at 12 midnight. “The sale of essential goods, food grains, drugs and supply of milk have been spared from the lockdown,” Uddhav said.
“In case there is confusion about the closure announcement, the affected people may contact the local district collector and divisional commissioner. I have a request to make to the shopkeepers and owners of the business establishments who are closed down their units as per the Government orders pay
minimum wages to the affected employees,” the Chief Minister said.
Uddhav said there were no immediate plans to discontinue operation of suburban trains and buses in Mumbai. “For now, we have no plans to close down suburban train and bus services. But, as part of our crowd reducing initiative, rwe are bringing down further the limit of employees attending the government offices from the earlier 50 per cent to 25 per cent”.
Meanwhile, interacting with mediapersons at Pune, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar exhorted people not to contribute to crowds by inviting people for marriages and ensure against crowds at funerals. “During the period of closure for shops, business establishments and private firms, I request the owners to pay remuneration to daily wage earners”.
“Since the next 15 days are very crucial, I request the people to co-operate with the government in implementing measures to combat Coronavirus,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.
Pawar said the collectors and divisional commissioners had been given powers to purchase whatever drugs needed from the market. “We have lifted all the restrictions on the purchase of drugs by the district collectors and divisional commissioners. We do not need funds from the Centre. We are capable of handling the situation. We will ensure that there is no dearth for funds”.
Meanwhile, Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi announced restrictions on vehicular movement in the areas of Isolation centres and quarantine centres declared by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) like Kasturba Hospital, KEM Hospital and Seven Hills Hospital.
Through an amended order for “social distancing” issued under the rule 10 of the Regulations for Prevention and Containment of COVID-19 framed under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, the BMC Commissioner also announced the closure of schools, cinema halls, swimming pools, gyms, malls/mill compound, Spa Centres, Clubs, Pubs, discotheques, Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Amusement Park and banning of mass congregations and functions.
“All private, Corporates and establishments to be completely shut down, However, essential services like drinking water supply, sewerage services, banking services, RBI, telephone and internet services, rail and transportation services, food, vegetables and groceries, hospitals, medical centres, medical stores, Electricity, petroleum, Oil, energy, media, Port, IT services provided for essential services have been excluded from the shut down. Production/ manufacturing processes which require continuity of process may continue to continue at 50 per cent staff strength,” the amended order stated.
Among other things, Pardeshi asked the police to issue advisories to not to gather in masses at sea beaches and public places and said that spitting at public places, premises and road would attract a fine of Rs 1000. He said that the sanitary staff and police would enforce the penalty on spitting strictly.