Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said that the lockdown in the state would be lifted gradually after May 3 when the second phase of the national lockdown ends. However, restrictions will not be lifted in Mumbai, its surrounding areas, in Pune and its surrounding areas as they fall under the red zone. Comparing the red zone areas to an active volcano, Thackeray said that lifting restrictions is “not in our interest”.
Thackeray addressed the state on Maharashtra Day via Facebook Live and said, “The red zone is like an active volcano, orange zone is like a dormant volcano, and the green zone is where the volcano will not erupt. Naturally, Mumbai, Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Pune, Pune Metropolitan Region, Nagpur and Aurangabad fall in the red zone as cases are increasing daily. Here, to start something is not in our interest. In orange zones, there are a few active cases in some areas; we are looking at lifting restrictions leaving aside areas where there are more cases. In the green zone, we have already started lifting restrictions gradually.” He outlined that lifting of restriction will be done “cautiously”.
The chief minister added that farming and agriculture related activities were not under restrictions before and will continue to remain exempt in areas where restrictions may continue after May 3.
Thackeray added that the lockdown had helped to keep the spread of coronavirus in control. He said that the “speed breakers” have helped contain the spread which would have grown exponentially had lockdown not been imposed. He said that though the numbers of cases are increasing in Maharashtra, they are increasing among the contacts and in a cluster. He said that 75% to 80% of the Covid-19 cases in the state do not show any symptoms or show mild symptoms of the disease.
Outlining the work done by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, Thackeray said that in the past few days the civic body has screened 2 lakh people in the slums for low oxygen level and other diseases including diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. Such people are susceptibility to the coronavirus.
“In Mumbai, 272 people have been found with low oxygen level and other ailments. BMC is not only providing oxygen but doctors are treating their other ailments,” he said. Thackeray said that besides ramping up capacity of beds in the state, doctors and nursing staff have been inducted. He said he has received responses from 10,000 people including from doctors, nurses etc to volunteer in the fight against coronavirus.
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