IT News
Mumbai, April 10
With a view to arrest the fast spreading COVID -19, the Maharashtra Government has decided to deploy State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) in congested areas, including thick slum pockets, to ensure total enforcement of the lockdown.
In a meeting on Thursday, the Maharashtra cabinet focused on four important aspects — strict enforcement of lockdown, surveillance, sanitation and rapid tests.
Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope in a video address said total number of COVID-19 positive cases in Maharashtra stood at 1,346, and out of which 746 came from Mumbai, the financial capital of the country. Maharashtra reported 25 deaths and 229 new cases in the 24 hours on Thursday.
“All ministers stressed the need to enforce strict lockdown and deploy SRPF as there is no option. Similarly, surveillance of crowds through drone technology was also necessary apart from installing CCTVs,” he said.
He said that the administration is doing all it can to enforce the lockdown but now it’s necessary to bring in SRPF and deploy them in congested areas to ensure people follow lockdown strictly. On surveillance, he said CCTV cameras are being used to monitor roads and ensure that people don’t crowd there. Besides, the state plans to use drone technology to ensure people don’t gather in congested areas, he added.
Tope also expressed concerns on the issues of sanitisation of public toilets in congested areas like Dharavi, the Asia’s largest slum, in Central Mumbai. He said the administration is planning to use power jets belonging to fire brigade units to clean public toilets. He added that drones could also be used to sanitise public toilets. The sprawling slum colony of Dharavi has so far reported 17 COVID-19 cases and three deaths.
He said that the state government has decided to open municipal schools to temporarily accommodate the people who live in densely packed homes. “We have observed that those who live with 10-15 others in small rooms come out on the streets. As such the available school buildings, which have been closed down temporarily; will be made available for nearby dwellers so that proper social distancing could be maintained.
The minister said that heath department has asked for 1 lakh rapid random test kits and once these kits are received, tests will be carried out for all front liners like medical professionals and others involved in the battle against COVID-19.
Earlier he said that private medical practitioners have been asked not to close their clinics during the ongoing curfew, since the medical clinics have been exempted from the purview of the curfew as they are part of essential services. “I have come to know that some private practitioners have closed down their OPDs, which is not expected from them. OPDs are exempted from the curfew…they should keep their dispensaries open”.
In the meanwhile since most of the churches are closed due to coronavirus pandemic, devout Christians have decided to offer “Good Friday” prayers at home or through websites offering online service.
