Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said that Maharashtra is likely to face a second wave of COVID-19 and urged the people of the State not to lower their guard and strictly follow all the safety protocols to prevent the imposition of another lockdown.
“Today, I am addressing you to keep you alert and awake at this dangerous turn. Many States like Delhi are witnessing a second and third wave of the pandemic. Cities like Ahmedabad have announced a night curfew. The second wave seems like a tsunami,” Mr. Thackeray said, adding that the State government is capable of handling the situation.
Mr. Thackeray said he has also been advised to impose a curfew. “But not everything can be done by enacting laws. We did not ban firecrackers for Deepavali and instead we appealed to the people to exercise caution. And they followed. Similarly, I’m appealing to you not to venture out of your homes unnecessarily,” he said.
“I don’t want another lockdown, but you should also understand the gravity of the situation,” he added.
Over the issue of reopening temples, Mr. Thackeray said he did what he had promised at the right time. “Though we have announced the reopening of schools, it will be done only after assessing the situation,” Mr. Thackeray said.
He thanked the north Indian population in Mumbai for following the safety norms laid down for chhath puja and also appealed to the warkaris to exercise restraint while celebrating Kartiki Ekadashi.
Mr. Thackeray also emphasised on the lack of certainty over the availability of a vaccine and the need to till then observe the mandatory use of masks, physical distancing and hand sanitising. “Maharashtra will need 25 crore doses as each person would require two doses of the vaccine for immunisation,” the Chief Minister said.
(With PTI inputs)
