Migrants arrive at Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Kurla, on Saturday, to board trains for their native places. Maharashtra government had announced a lockdown to contain the surge in Covid-19 cases
MUMBAI: On the first day of the weekend lockdown on Saturday, the state not only registered a slight dip in positive Covid-19 detections but got an assurance from the Centre about additional ventilators and funds to hire additional healthcare workers to combat the second wave of the pandemic.
Maharashtra registered 55,441 cases a 7% drop as compared to the previous day and 309 deaths. In only 11 days of this month, the state has added over 5.3 lakh fresh Covid-19 cases. Nearly the same was added in the entire month of September 2020, considered to be the peak of the first wave. Mumbai seemed grimmer in comparison as daily cases and deaths rose even as only 30 out of the 1,273 ventilators were vacant.
“This is a health emergency and so priority should be given to the lives of the people. The situation is grim and we have to impose strict restrictions to slow down the spread,” said Thackeray.
Senior officials said while the current restrictions will continue, unchecked daytime movement on weekdays may be restricted too. Currently, there is only a prohibitory order which does not allow assembly of more than five people during the day, though movement is unrestricted. He said the government is likely to continue with public transport such as trains, autos and buses for essential workers and for the general public for essential activities and emergencies.
Representative image
MUMBAI: Dismissing five cases where the police had booked individuals for flouting the lockdown last year, a court has held that charges of spreading infection could not be attracted in the case as the accused had not been tested for Covid-19.
“Moreover, there is no documentary evidence for showing that the accused persons had been tested positive for Covid-19. In absence of such material on the record, it can not be said that the accused persons had indulged in any act which was likely to spread infection of Covid-19,” the Vikhroli magistrate court said recently.
In each case, the police had submitted a chargesheet invoking Section188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), Section 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and Section 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the IPC and provisions of the National Disaster Management Act, alleging that during the
File photo of Kamla Mills fire
MUMBAI: Corporators from across parties on Saturday slammed BMC for reinstating two engineers removed from civic services after being indicted in Kamla Mills fire probe report. Vinod Mishra (BJP) said their reinstatement must be scrapped immediately as it was not as per rules. “This seems to be a clear-cut attempt to bring back tainted engineers in the name of Covid. These are the Sachin Wazes of BMC,” Mishra said.
TOI had reported that BMC reinstated assistant engineer M G Shelar and junior engineer Dharmaraj Shinde, who were charged with criminal negligence, dereliction of duty, connivance with mala fide intention and failure to take action.