The road ahead for Maharashtra: Total lockdown

WEH near Borivli wore a deserted look on Saturday, day one of the weekend lockdown. Pic/Satej Shinde

If Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's statement at an all-party meeting on Saturday is anything to go by, then Maharashtra is expected to go into complete lockdown for at least 14 days, starting any day next week.

Uddhav Thackeray

The final decision will be taken after the CM meets the COVID-19 Task Force on Sunday to discuss the standard operating procedure. During the meeting, medical education Director Dr Tatyarao Lahane said that a lockdown of minimum 14 days was required. Sources said the CM was also of the same opinion.

Currently, the government has imposed restrictions on weekdays and a complete lockdown on weekends, but a record number of rising cases seems to have necessitated a lockdown on all days. The state is facing an acute shortage of beds, ventilators, drugs, and doctors and support staff. The health secretary said the unprecedented situation, if not tamed, will overwhelm the state's COVID-19 infrastructure by April 15.

Calling it the right time to take a decision, the CM told all-party leaders that the state cannot impose restrictions and relax them simultaneously. However, he said the lockdown will not be indefinite, and can be eased step-by-step after reviewing the COVID-19 caseload.

Presenting their viewpoints, the ruling and Opposition parties suggested that the affected people should be given help to compensate for the lockdown losses. Opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis said a unilateral lockdown will not work, and insisted on giving financial assistance to people, who will incur losses during the lockdown. "Think of resentment in the trading and business community, and unorganised workforce, before deciding on it [lockdown]," he said.

Thackeray said that serious thought would be given to Fadnavis's suggestions, including making Remdesivir drug available by stopping its export, and making test results available as early as possible, so that infected persons do not infect more people in case of delayed reporting.

"Everyone thinks that the poor and daily wage workers shouldn't be troubled. We will think about them ,too," he said.

After the meeting, BJP president Chandrakant Patil said, "We're not opposed to a lockdown, but we want the government to offer people a roadmap, and answer our questions about easing distress in people."

Congress leader Ashok Chavan demanded a balancing act while imposing the lockdown. "The needy should be considered. The government should officially share the facts with the people, so that they aren't misled by false information. Loan recovery should also be stopped," he said, adding that people staying outside Maharashtra should be given time to return home. "The sudden announcement will create last year-like problems," he said.