8/5/2020
PUNE (MUMBAI): With 10
days to go for the lifting of the nationwide lockdown imposed to slow the
spread of corona virus, speculation is rife on the possibility of an extension
of lockdown in some areas of the country that are under 'Red Zones and have
seen a surge in cases in the past week.
Maharashtra is the worst affected state, accounting for almost
one-third of all COVID-19 cases in the country with the tally touching over
17,000 cases as of May 8, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare.
Mumbai and Pune are the worst affected zones with cases from
both cities inching towards 15,000. In view of this, Maharashtra Chief Minister
Uddhav Thackeray called for an all-party meeting with state leaders on Thursday
and continued day-long meetings with senior government officials in the state
to assess the rising numbers in these cases.
A senior official in Maharashtra Chief Minister's Office, when
asked about the possibility of an extended lockdown, said that this could not
be ruled out. "We cannot rule out the possibility of an extended lockdown
at this stage but it is too early to comment on it as there are still 10 days
left for the current lockdown to get over," the official said.
In the all-party meeting had the presence of senior leaders
cutting across party lines like BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief
Minister Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray among
others.
At the meeting, Uddhav Thackeray said that Maharashtra had
managed to control the spread of the virus due to the current lockdown but now
efforts were on to stay vigilant till the end of May.
This statement, taken in tandem with Maharashtra Chief
Minister's interactions with senior bureaucrats on May 4 wherein a target was
set to make the state a green zone by the end of May, seems to suggest that
some hotspot zones in Maharashtra, particularly Mumbai and Pune, could see an
extension of the lockdown.
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