MAHA REIMPOSES LOCKDOWN IN FIVE DISTRICTS

Amid the rising numbers of the Covid-19 cases, the Maharashtra government on Sunday announced that there will be a one-week lockdown in Amravati division that includes five districts from Monday. Amravati Divisional Commissioner Piyush Singh on Sunday issued a notification imposing restriction on operation of shops between 9.00 am to 5.00 pm in the division. Hotels have been instructed to only provide take away service. 15 per cent staff or 15 personnel of private or government offices will be allowed to remain present at offices in five affected districts. All the schools, colleges and educational institutions will remain closed till March 1, 2021. Amravati division consists of Buldhana, Akola, Amravati, Washim and Yavatmal districts.

Maharashtra Cabinet minister Yashomati Thakur said that they don’t have any option except imposing lockdown (in order to contain the infection). “In last september 2020 when Covid was at its peak, there were 7,000 Covid positive cases. At present, more than 7,000 active cases are there. It means that we have crossed the peak period’s cases,” she said.

“Therefore, we have imposed the lockdown from Monday evening for a week,” Thakur said.

BJP’s heavyweight in Vindhya region and 4time MLA Girish Gautam is set to become the new speaker of Madhya assembly.

Mr Gautam on Sunday filed nomination for the post of speaker, an election for which was scheduled to be held on Monday, the opening day of the budget session of the Assembly. He is all set to be elected to the post unopposed with Opposition Congress announcing not to field a candidate against him.

Election to the post of speaker of MP assembly has been put on hold since March last year when BJP returned to power in the state after the fall of 15-month-old Kamal Nath government because no physical session of the house could be held during the period due to coronavirus pandemic. Pro-tem speaker Rameswar Sharma has been running the hybrid sessions of the assembly during the period.

At least 2 other BJP MLAs, former minister Rajendra Shukla and Kedar Sharma, were in the race for the post of assembly speaker. All the 3 BJP leaders hailed from Vindhya region, considered BJP’s bastion. The BJP leadership has earlier decided to give the speaker’s post to a leader from Vindhya region.