Maha govt staff may also work from home
All wildlife sanctuaries are closed in Assam
Following the request to allow employees of corporate companies to work from home, the state government is contemplating to work with 50 per cent strength to reduce the crowd. The idea was also discussed in the Cabinet meeting, chaired by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, a senior official said.
The government also appealed all religious institutions to avoid gatherings in their premises. Earlier in the day, the state government held a meeting of the private companies at Sahyadri Guest House to discuss preventive measures to be taken to contain the spread of coronavirus.
Mr Thackeray said that there would be no holiday for seven days to government offices as was reported in a section of media. “We are mulling on allowing functioning of government offices with 50 per cent strength,” he said.
When asked about testing coronavirus in private laboratories, chief minister said that the Centre will have to give an approval for tests at private laboratories. Test kit, which is being authenticated by the centre, is being given. “Once the Centre gives its approval, we can proceed (for tests at private labs),” he added.
Thanking trustees of the Siddhivinayak, Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust and Shirdi the chief minister said that they have taken initiative to shut down temples for devotees for next few days. “I appeal all dharamgurus (priests) of temples, mosques, churches and gurudwaras to adopt similar practice,” he said.
Meanwhile, public health minister Rajesh Tope conducted a meeting with representatives of corporate companies and they have agreed to follow the ‘work from home’ system for their employees and hold ‘virtual meetings’. Mr Tope said that the companies would avail drugs, masks, sanitizer, and ventilators to take precautions.
The minister said that the best way to contain the spread of coronavirus is to avoid crowded places. For this, the people are requested to travel only when it is needed.
Mr Tope also informed that the companies have agreed to shut down their non-essential units wherever possible.
The corporate players have also agreed to help the government in information
● campaign to educate people on combating the coronavirus, Tope said. “They are ready to help in providing masks, sanitizers and 80 vital medicines,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mumbai could be staring at a virtual lockdown as the state government is mulling the possibility of suspending local train services, which are the lifeline of the city.
The move, which will affect lakhs of commuters in the city and the surrounding satellite towns, was discussed during the state Cabinet meeting Monday. Though it did not get the green signal from the government authorities, it remains a possibility going by the statement made by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray.
“No decision has been taken on halting train services, but strict measures need to be implemented if we want to avoid the outbreak going from phase two to phase three. If the crowd in trains is not reduced, we may have to consider suspending train services,” he said, adding that people should understand the seriousness of the situation and unnecessary travel should be avoided.
According to officials, the decision to suspend train services was not taken to prevent panic among commuters. “However, if the coronavirus pandemic spreads further, the state government will be left with no option but to undertake the drastic step,” the source said.
If implemented, the move is likely to include the Mumbai metro rail, monorail and other public modes of transport. This will virtually paralyse the country’s commercial capital.“Options like fumigation of all train coaches, limiting the number of commuters to seats available in each bogey to avoid crowding are being considered instead of stopping shutdown of train services,” said health minister Rajesh Tope.
Suburban train services, including the Central Railway, Western Railway and Harbour line, are the city’s lifeline, ferrying over 8.50 million commuters daily and serving Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Raigad districts.
— PRITAM BANDYOPADHYAY
Intensifying precautionary measures against the worldwide outbreak of coronavirus, Assam health department here on Tuesday started screening of all the domestic as well as foreign passengers at Guwahati airport besides closing down all the wildlife sanctuaries and tourist destinations across the state.
Pointing out that the number of coronavirus cases across the country have been rising rapidly, but the situation is different in the state, Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that that the state has not seen a single confirmed case of coronavirus disease — Covid19.
“Till now we were screening only foreign passengers at airports in the state but from Tuesday all domestic and foreign passengers are also going through screening. Similarly, passengers of Rajdhani Express trains will be screened at stations in the state where there is stoppage,” said Mr Sarma, while informing that the state has prepared over 2,000 beds for quarantine, 505 beds for isolation of patients, 269 ventilator units in government hospitals and 50 similar ones in private hospitals.
As of now, the government hospitals have 12,129 testing kits, 61,263 triple-layered surgical masks, 5,215 N-95 masks and over 57 lakh pairs of gloves to deal with coronavirus cases.
Asking the people to cooperate with health officials, the minister said that people having symptoms similar to coronavirus should not hesitate from taking the medical assistance as it may put hundreds of others including their family members into serious trouble.
Meanwhile a Spanish cyclist was allegedly denied accommodation by the hotels in Silchar.
According to reports, Pablu Alberto Fernandez Garcia, who is currently on a world tour, had reached Silchar from Meghalaya.