The road ahead for Maharashtra: Total lockdown

If Chief Minister Uddhav Thackerayrsquos statement at an allparty meeting on Saturday is anything to go by then Maharashtra is expected to go into complete lockdown for at least 14 days starting any day next weekUddhav ThackerayThe final decision will be taken after the CM meets the COVID19 Task Force on Sunday to discuss the standard operating procedure During the meeting medical education Director Dr Tatyarao Lahane said that a lockdown of minimum 14 days was required Sources said the CM was also of the same opinionCurrently the government has imposed restrictions on weekdays and a complete lockdown on weekends but a record number of rising cases seems to have necessitated a lockdown on all days The state is facing an acute shortage of beds ventilators drugs and doctors and support staff The health secretary said the unprecedented situation if not tamed will overwhelm the statersquos COVID19 infrastructure by April 15Calling it the right time to take a decision the CM told allparty leaders that the state cannot impose restrictions and relax them simultaneously However he said the lockdown will not be indefinite and can be eased stepbystep after reviewing the COVID19 caseloadPresenting their viewpoints the ruling and Opposition parties suggested that the affected people should be given help to compensate for the lockdown losses Opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis said a unilateral lockdown will not work and insisted on giving financial assistance to people who will incur losses during the lockdown ldquoThink of resentment in the trading and business community and unorganised workforce before deciding on it lockdownrdquo he saidThackeray said that serious thought would be given to Fadnavisrsquos suggestions including making Remdesivir drug available by stopping its export and making test results available as early as possible so that infected persons do not infect more people in case of delayed reportingldquoEveryone thinks that the poor and daily wage workers shouldnrsquot be troubled We will think about them toordquo he saidAfter the meeting BJP president Chandrakant Patil said ldquoWersquore not opposed to a lockdown but we want the government to offer people a roadmap and answer our questions about easing distress in peoplerdquoCongress leader Ashok Chavan demanded a balancing act while imposing the lockdown ldquoThe needy should be considered The government should officially share the facts with the people so that they arenrsquot misled by false information Loan recovery should also be stoppedrdquo he said adding that people staying outside Maharashtra should be given time to return home ldquoThe sudden announcement will create last yearlike problemsrdquo he said