After a marathon meeting chaired by Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, District Collectors have been given powers to invoke Section 144 to avoid unnecessary gathering amidst the coronavirus pandemic that has rocked the world and claimed 6,526 lives worldwide and infected 171,881 people so far.
Minister of Public Health Rajesh Tope informed the media that the elections to municipal corporations, gram panchayat and nagar panchayats have been postponed. He also said that they have asked the universities to postpone the examinations in the state. The schools and colleges will be shut for both urban and rural areas. However, the board exams will continue as per the schedule. "We have asked the universities to postpone the examinations in the state. Elections to municipal corporations and panchayat have been postponed for three months," Rajesh Tope said.
The government has also decided to provide the first installment of Rs 45 crore to divisional commissioners to take urgent steps to curb coronavirus spread. The Konkan and Pune Divisional Commissioners will receive Rs 15 crore and Rs 10 crore respectively. The divisional commissioners of Nagpur, Amravati, Aurangabad and Nashik will get Rs 5 crore each.
The government said that the people who are kept in quarantine facilities will be given proper food, television facility and carrom boards.
They also said that those who have been advised 100 percent home quarantine should have their left hand sealed so that the person can be identified.
The government has also asked the district administration to not give permission for any religious function and political events.
Amidst the coronavirus outbreak, the Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple has also been closed for prayers to avoid congregation.
The Maharashtra government has urged the citizens to strictly follow the do's and dont's already laid down to curb coronavirus outbreak.
Meanwhile, 38 patients have been tested positive in Maharashtra, the most for any state in the country.
In Maharashtra, Pimpri-Chinchwad has the most 9 cases, Pune 7, Mumbai 6, Nagpur 4, Yawatmal 3, Kalyan 3, Navi Mumbai 2, while Raigad, Thane, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad have reported one case each.
