Category: Maharashtra

A day after Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray served an ultimatum of 8-10 days to the people, Health Minister Rajesh Tope urged people to understand and cooperate with the government since the state could not afford another lockdown….reports Asian Lite News

As panic started building up among people with several districts, cities and towns of Maharashtra coming under degrees of restrictions, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government on Monday appealed to the citizens to take precautions and help “avoid” a fresh lockdown.

A day after Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray served an ultimatum of 8-10 days to the people, Health Minister Rajesh Tope urged people to understand and cooperate with the government since the state could not afford another lockdown.

“Our state is known for its sensitive, understanding and cooperative people.. We have seen how they cooperated patiently during the (2020) lockdown. Avoiding a lockdown is now in your hands. Another lockdown will be unaffordable. Therefore, it is my appeal to strictly follow masking, sanitising and safe physical distancing to avoid lockdown,” said Tope in a social media appeal from quarantine.

The state seems headed on the course for another round of severe restrictions with stringent curbs slapped in Nagpur, Pune, Nashik, Amravati, Akola, Yavatmal, Aurangabad, Satara and others amid apprehensions of a second lockdown.

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In many districts, schools/colleges have been shut again for offline classes, and the government is deliberating to evolve a consensus on conducting the SSC and HSC Board exams offline in April-May.

After Thackeray’s stern Sunday message, political rallies, large social gatherings, religious congregations, etc. are being cancelled or postponed or truncated.

The police in Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur and other places swooped on the organisers of such events or restaurants, bars, etc where people were seen not adhering to Covid-19 protocols.

Ironically, even ex-BJP MP Dhananjay Mahadik son’s wedding in Pune on Sunday saw a 700-plus crowd, including bigwigs like Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar, Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis and others, after which Food & Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal reported on Monday that he had tested positive.

The BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has found that asymptomatic patients and high-risk contacts who step out of quarantine are contributing to the current massive spread of Covid-19 with cases multiplying in the city and in Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

BMC Commissioner I.S. Chahal pointed out that in past two days, there were around 1,500 cases, all asymptomatic and if these started roaming the streets, in less than a fortnight, the figures could shoot up by 10 times.

Besides, the government attributes the spurt in cases to the resumption of local trains from February 1 for most categories of people and permitting several religious and social functions, with many blatantly ignoring the Covid-19 norms.

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After the annual review of state VVIP security, Maharashtra’s Maha Vikas Aghadi government on Sunday enhanced protection cover to a few, and reduced or withdrew it for many, even as senior leader Sharad Pawar sought reduction of his security.

From the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the security cover of several leaders including Leaders of Opposition (Assembly) Devendra Fadnavis and (Council) Pravin Darekar has been reduced while for others including state BJP President Chandrakant Patil, it has been withdrawn.

As the BJP cried foul, Nationalist Congress Party President Pawar requested Home Minister Anil Deshmukh to reduce his security cover.

Ex-minister and senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar – who lost his security – took a swipe at the MVA, saying: “I was given security because I come from a Maoist-hit district. It has been withdrawn, so it appears that Maoist activities over. But the (government) must ensure security for the common masses.”

Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant questioned why the BJP leaders should shout and scream if their security cover is reduced or removed, considering the reduced threat perceptions to them.

“Although the Gandhi family and ex-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh face threats, the BJP acted vindictively and reduced their security after which the BJP people had rejoiced. But the MVA government doesn’t hold such an attitude,” he said.

Deshmukh and other leaders pointed out how, soon after coming to power in late 2014, Fadnavis had also reduced the secuirty for several leaders including Pawar and former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan.

Following a meeting to security review and threat perceptions held on Friday, the state government issued the revised orders on Sunday on the levels of protection that would be accorded to various personalities.

Celeb criminal lawyer Ujjwal Nikam has got an enhanced cover from Y-Plus with escort to Z, while Bollywood actor Shatrughan Sinha’s cover has been increased from Y-Plus to Y-Plus with escort.

In the list for the newcomers to be given security, the personalities are: Legislative Council Chairman Ramraje Nimbalkar (Y-Plus with escort), and Congress Minister Vijay Wadettiwar (Y-Plus with escort in Mumbai).

Ministers Sandipan A. Bhumre, Abdul Nabi Sattar, Dilip Walse-Patil and Sunil Kedar have been given Y-level security and Shiv Sena MLA Vaibhav V. Naik from Kankavali in Sindhudurg gets X-level security.

Fadnavis’s protection has been slashed from Z-Plus to Y-Plus with escort, his wife Amruta’s reduced from Y-Plus with escort to X and their daughter Divija Fadnavis’ from Y-Plus with escort to to X, while the security of Shobha Fadnavis, the aunt of Devendra Fadnavis, has been removed.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray goes from Z to Y-Plus with escort, retired Justice M.L. Tahiliyani Z to Y, Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale from Y-Plus with escort to Y-Plus, and Mumbai blasts trial Judge G.A. Sanap from Z to Y.

Former Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik’s cover has come down from Y-Plus to Y, while ex-ministers Deepak Kesarkar and Ashish Shelar hes been reduced from Y-Plus to Y, and Suryakant Shinde from Y-Plus to X level.

Darekar and former deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal both will get Y-level cover and those accorded X-level cover include Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra, ex-MLAs Prakash Shendge and Rajesh Kshirsagar, besides Yuva Sena Secretary Varun Sardesai.

In the list of those who lost their security cover are: Ambrishrao Atram (till now, Z-Naxal), state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil and Sanjay Bansode (both Y-Plus with escort till now), Union Minister Raosaheb Danve, ex-CM Narayan Rane, ex-minister Mungantiwar and R. V. More (all Y-Plus till now), Rajkumar Badole and ex-Speaker Haribhau Bagade (both Y till date).

Others who have lost their X-level security henceforth are BJP spokespersons Madhav Bhandari, Ram Kadam and Prasad Laad, ex-Congress MLA-MP Marotrao S. Kowase, VHP leader Shankar Gaikar, and ex-Congress minister Kripa Shankar Singh.

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In a shocking lapse, 10 infants were killed and another seven were saved after a fire ravaged through the children’s ward of a government hospital here in the wee hours of Saturday.

The Maharashtra government ordered a thorough investigation into the incident besides seeking a full-scale fire, electrical and structural audit of all hospitals in the state.

The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded that the government should complete its probe within a month and slap charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder on all those found responsible for the tragedy.

The fire, caused by a suspected electrical short-circuit, broke out at around 1.45 am in the Sick and Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of the Bhandara District General Hospital, when the mothers and other relatives of the infants were fast asleep, District Surgeon Pramod Khandate informed the media.

At that time, a nurse on duty who happened to pass by the ward noticed the smoke inside and raised an alarm as other hospital staffers rushed to the spot.

At least 10 infants, including 8 females, a majority of them less than 3 months old, perished due to suffocation, while at least three died due to severe burn injuries.  Another 7 infants in the ‘inbound ward’ were saved.

Soon after dawn, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray ordered a probe, announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakhs to the families of the deceased infants and other measures to  contain the political fallout of the incident.

“While grappling with the Covid-19 pandemic, the health administration and hospitals should not ignore safety and security issues. To ensure such incidents are not repeated, I have directed the officials to check the fire audit status of all the hospitals in the state,” Thackeray said.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar also made a similar announcement and said the government would not tolerate any laxity of safety and security in hospitals.

Health Minister Rajesh Tope said that Director-Health Services would soon issue directions to ensure that the relevant full safety audits of the hospitals are in  place.

Although the police are probing the cause of the blaze, it is attributed to a possible short-circuit that led to an air-conditioner blast, followed by a fire with thick smoke billowing in the ward and the resultant deaths due to suffocation.

Thackeray and Tope spoke with the Collector and Superintendent of Police of Bhandara and directed them to take up immediate relief measures for the anguished families, with many young mothers seen crying inconsolably outside the hospital.

Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis also rushed to Bhandara and visited the hospital besides other leaders like MP Sunil Mendhe and ex-minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, terming the incident as “a monumental and painful tragedy”.

Fadnavis slammed the Maha Vikas Aghadi government and demanded that the probe must be completed within a week and all those responsible should be booked under charges of culpable homicide.

Bawankule said the hospital had been affected by power fluctuations since the last one week, and though some relatives of the patients had asked the hospital staff to check the electricals, nobody heeded them.

He added that a proposal to purchase fire safety equipment worth over Rs 1 crore is pending the approval of the Principal Secretary, Health, and the Director-Health  Service, since last May and wanted to know the reasons for the delay.

Earlier, top Indian leaders from across the political spectrum expressed shock and grief over the tragedy.

“I am deeply shocked by the fire incident in Bhandara. My heartfelt sympathies with the families of those who have lost their infants in the tragedy,” President Ram Nath Kovind said.

“Heart-wrenching tragedy where we have lost precious young lives. My thoughts are with all the bereaved families. I hope the injured recover as early as possible,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a message.

“The unfortunate incident of fire at Bhandara Hospital in Maharashtra is extremely tragic. My condolences to the families of the children who lost their lives. I appeal  to Maharashtra Government to provide every possible assistance to the families of the injured and deceased,” Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said.

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