In view of the spiralling number of COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday instructed authorities to impose a night curfew across the entire State beginning Sunday night (March 28).
Mr. Thackeray said that the measure had been taken in an attempt to preclude congestion and curb the growing number of infections.
The order issued by the State government has decreed that all shopping malls will remain closed from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m..
Mr. Thackeray warned of more stringent restrictions if people did not scrupulously follow COVID-19 safety rules. He further said that while he had permitted District Collectors to decide whether and when to impose lockdowns, he assured that there would not be any sudden State-wide lockdown and that the public would be given advance notice.
The move comes following a review meeting in which the Chief Minister interacted with all Divisional Commissioners, Collectors and other municipal and police authorities, as well as civil surgeons of all district government hospitals.
“I do not wish to impose a lockdown and have no intention of doing so, but given the growing number of patients, there is a possibility of increased strain on the existing health infrastructure,” Mr. Thackeray said, adding that he had directed each district administration to focus on expanding health facilities, as well as make provision for additional beds and medicines.
The Chief Minister exhorted the public to realise that the threat of the virus had not gone away but only increased.
“Following a second wave in the U.K., things are gradually re-opening only now after a two-and-a-half month lockdown. A similar situation is transpiring here. The number of patients is increasing rapidly and it is not possible to say how much more the case tally will increase in the coming period. In such a scenario, there is a need to consider strict measures,” Mr. Thackeray said.
He said he had instructed the respective District Collectors to impose a lockdown districts where cases were rising dramatically.
“At the same time, I have told the administrations not to apply lockdowns in a sudden manner,” he said, while appealing again to people to follow rules.
The government order said that no big religious or cultural programmes should be organised on the day of Holi and Rang Panchami.
The government has also urged the Christian community to observe Good Friday (on April 2) and celebrate Easter Sunday (on April 4) in a simple manner. It has restricted the number of people attending prayers during the holy week (March 28 to April 4) in a (spacious) church to a maximum of 50 persons.
“If the church is smaller in size, then a special prayer meet should be held in the presence of 10-25 persons, and four to five special masses may be organised depending on the need,” said the government order.
The Chief Minister also instructed that care should be taken to ensure restrictions on socio-cultural and political programmes are observed.
