Cases rising, lifting lockdown not advisable in red zones: CM
CAUTION Announces facilities for new industries, urges sons-of-the-soil to make up for staff crunch
We can’t afford a spike in cases and fatalities due to relaxations. Green zones have already been opened for almost all activities. There could be a few more relaxations in orange zones, but red zones and containment zones can’t get those. Everybody is eager to see the lifeline back on the tracks, but it may take some time.
Promising to end the Covid-19 crisis ahead of the monsoon, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday made it clear that curbs in red and containment zones will not be relaxed in the fourth phase of the lockdown which began on Monday. While announcing facilities for new industries, the CM also made an emotional appeal to ‘sons-of-the-soil’ to fill the gap created owing to the exodus of migrant workers.
Addressing the people of Maharashtra via Facebook Live, Thackeray said the battle against the pandemic was still on and people need to show more restraint and discipline. “In Maharashtra, cases in cities like Mumbai, Pune and Aurangabad are rising on a daily basis. In such a scenario, lifting the lockdown is not advisable, especially looking at the experiences of other countries. We will have to tolerate it for some time, but it is in the interest of the state. We can’t afford a spike in cases and fatalities due to relaxations. Green zones have already been opened for almost all activities. There could be a few more relaxations in orange zones, but red zones and containment zones can’t get those. Everybody is eager to see the lifeline back on the tracks, but it may take some time,” he said.
The state government is expected to issue a notification with the set of guidelines, on the basis of the framework issued by the Centre, for the fourth phase of the lockdown by Tuesday. “There will be another set of challenges once monsoon sets in. The academic year starts in mid-june. We are chalking out plans for the changes that need to be brought in for the education system,” he said.
The CM said that around five lakh migrants have been sent back to their respective states and it may lead to a shortage of labour in industries. “The sonsof-the-soil should come forward and contribute to filling the gap in the workforce. It is now your responsibility to help the state stand on its own feet,” he said.
Thackeray said there will be no terms and conditions for green industries and the state has reserved 40,000 acres to facilitate new industries. The CM also said that if the industries express their inability in purchasing land to set up their units, the government will make it available on lease.
Thackeray said anticipating a rise in the coming days, the government has readied 2.48 lakh beds at 1,484 Covid care centres. He said the state machinery was fully prepared to face the crisis.