Hi Nagpur! Stay indoors today!

NIT Complex in otherwise busy Sitabuldi area wore almost a deserted look on Saturday amid lockdown.

Staff Reporter :

Do not force the Government to act tough, warns Guardian Minister Dr Nitin Raut

It is national emergency and people should respond to it in united manner, says Animal Husbandry Minister Sunil Kedar

Dr Raut asks NMC to restore water connections severed over tax default

People coming to city from other places should go for self-quarantine, appeals the administration

ON SUNDAY, the city will join the nation in observance of ‘Janata curfew’ as appealed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Given the situation, this is a voluntary exercise to break the chain of spread of coronavirus. The people need not panic but take abundant precaution, and stay indoors. The political leaders and the administrative authorities are continuously reviewing the situation. On Saturday, in an all-party meeting held at Divisional Commissionerate, all the elected representatives, political leaders, and corporators were appealed to join hands and create awareness among people.

Dr Nitin Raut, Guardian Minister of district, presided over the meeting while Sunil Kedar, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Minister; all the legislators; prominent political leaders; Dr Sanjeev Kumar, Divisional Commissioner; Dr Bhushankumar Upadhyay, Commissioner of Police; Tukaram Mundhe, Municipal Commissioner; Ravindra Thakre, District Collector; Sanjay Yadav, Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Parishad and others were present prominently. Interacting with mediapersons after the meeting, Dr Nitin Raut said that the people should not panic but extend co-operation to the administration in dealing with the situation. “The people must stay indoors. Lockdown of all non-essential services has been ordered. But, essential services including grocery shops, medicine shops, hospitals, milk booths, vegetable shops will remain open. Still, people should not crowd these places,” he said.

If required, essential commodities will be home-delivered by mobile vans. Despite lockdown of non-essential services, many people did not realise seriousness and moved around using their vehicles on Saturday. “Though the situation is under control, people must realise the gravity of the situation and stay indoors. Non-essential services in all the areas where lockdown has been ordered, should come to a halt. Do not force the Government to act tough,” Dr Raut warned. Considering the seriousness of the situation, the Guardian Minister said, orders were issued to authorities concerned not to sever water and power supply connections till March 31. He asked Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) to restore water supply connections that were severed over tax default. If people are staying at home, they will need uninterrupted supply of power and water, he added.

Vijay Zalke, Chairman of NMC Water Supply Committee, also directed Superintending Engineer of Public Health Engineering Department of NMC, not to sever water supply connections of people till the Epidemic Act was in force in the city to tackle coronavirus situation. Dr Nitin Raut told mediapersons that society must undertake self-policing and observe restraint. The administration was doing a good job as a result of which there was no increase in COVID-19 positive cases in the city. Further arrangements for required testing kits, medicines, and ventilators were being made. The authorities concerned were asked to ensure availability of fodder also in rural areas.

The flat-schemes/apartments/townships in the city were asked to keep sanitisers at the security cabin at the entrance gate, and also near the lift, said Dr Raut. The Guardian Minister also directed the authorities concerned to stop registration of sale and purchase. As far as impact of the lockdown on labour force was concerned, he said that the matter would be discussed in the meeting of State Cabinet and some solution would be found out. Sunil Kedar said that the nation was in a state of emergency and the people should respond to it sensibly and in united manner. “The coronavirus does not recognise anyone by his religion, party, status etc. We need to curb its spread.

This is the hour when nation must join forces to fight COVID-19,” he added. Replying to a question regarding Assistant Development Commissioner, MIHAN-SEZ, writing to the District Magistrate to exempt SEZ units from the purview of lockdown, Dr Raut said that the Epidemic Act and Disaster Management Act had been invoked and it was mandatory for all to follow the directions accordingly. Else, he warned, appropriate action will be taken against industries found operational. A list of people who were asked to remain under ‘home-quarantine’ was doing the rounds on social media. Asked about it, Dr Raut said that people should not be afraid even if they were asked to remain under ‘home-quarantine’. Dr Sanjeev Kumar added that the said list of people advised ‘home-quarantine’ was ‘in public domain’ and not issued by the administration.

“People coming to the city from outside should go for self-quarantine. If persons advised home-quarantine are found roaming around in the city, it will be treated as violation. Such persons will not be given second chance of remaining under home-quarantine, and will be sent to MLA Hostel for mandatory quarantine,” he stressed. Meanwhile, people coming to the city by flight, train or bus are being screened and asked about their travel history, he added. The city presently has facility for quarantining 4,000 persons, he said. Asked about some people violating the quarantine norms and moving around carelessly in the city and meeting others, Tukaram Mundhe said that such persons were being sent to MLA Hostel. “We have sent one to MLA Hostel this morning. This person was asymptomatic and was, hence, advised home-quarantine. But, he was found moving around. In such cases, we are institutionalising forceful quarantine,” said Mundhe.

The all-party meeting held earlier was attended by Dr Vikas Mahatme, Rajya Sabha Member; Sandip Joshi, Mayor; Prof Jogendra Kawade, Nago Ganar, Prof Anil Sole, Prakash Gajbhiye, Dushyant Chaturvedi, all of them MLCs; Mohan Mate, Vikas Kumbhare, Krishna Khopde, Vikas Thakre, Adv Ashish Jaiswal, all of them MLAs; Satish Chaturvedi, former Minister; Sudhakar Kohale, Dinanath Padole, Girish Gandhi, Pravin Datke, Hemant Gadkari, Anil Ahirkar, Mahesh Dalal and others. Distance to be maintained among patients in pvt OPD Dr Sunil Bajaj, well-known paediatrician told ‘The Hitavada’, “The norm of maintenance of distance is getting violated at Outpatient Departments of majority private hospitals so I have a suggestion for all of them. 1) My suggestion to prevention of spread of virus in community where patients can’t be stopped from coming to hospital OPD. Distance between sitting of two patients who are ill that is why they are visiting hospital should be more than six feet plus.

They should hand wash before entering hospitals and leaving hospitals so the virus transmission is contained. Bed distance in hospitals be more than 10 feet even if hospital is normal hospital.” VHA appeals to close OPDs, postpone surgeries To avoid rush in the hospitals and visits of healthy patients for regular check-ups, Vidarbha Hospitals Association (VHA) has appealed all private hospitals, nursing homes, and clinics in Nagpur to keep their Out-Patient Departments (OPDs) closed. Dr Ashok Arbat, President of VHA said emergency services will continue in all hospitals. “Hospitals attached to VHA have stopped regular health check-up visits and also postponed the planned surgeries for the time being. Now, we have appealed all hospitals and nursing homes to keep their OPDs closed and ask patients not to come for regular check-ups,” he said.

Most corporate private hospitals in city are attached to VHA. VHA has assured it is ready to cooperate by providing any technical or human resource support at the quarantine facilities. VHA has already given a proposal to hand over one entire hospital with less occupancy to Government and develop it as ‘Quarantine hospital’. Dr Alok Umre, Secretary, VHA and Dr Anup Marar, Convenor, VHA also appealed to cooperate the people and follow social isolation. GMCH Dean convenes meet of medical bodies Number of suspects coming to Government Medical College and Hospital and Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH) have been reduced. On Saturday one person tested negative for corona. Meanwhile, GMCH Dean Dr Sajal Mitra had convened a meeting of members of Indian Medical Association, some private hospitals, NKPSIMS and others.

Sena MP Tumane under self-quarantine

Principal Correspondent :

Shiv Sena Member of Parliament from Ramtek Krupal Tumane has self-quarantined in house. Tumane used to sit with Dushyant Singh, Member of Parliament of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). At a private event, Singh had come in contact with singer Kanika Kapoor, who tested positive for COVID-19. When ‘The Hitavada’ contacted Tumane, he confirmed the development. He said, “Dushyant Singh and his mother Vasundhara Raje met Kapoor at an event held in Lucknow. As a precautionary measure, I have decided to self-quarantine myself at home. Shiv Sena President and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray called me and enquired about my health. He advised me to get quarantined at home.” Dushyant Singh and Vasundhara Raje, both tested negative afterwards.

Dr Nitin Raut, Guardian Minister, addressing a press conference

on Saturday evening. Sunil Kedar, Animal Husbandry Minister;

Dr Sanjeev Kumar, Divisional Commissioner; Dr Bhushankumar Upadhyay, Commissioner of Police, also are seen.

908 persons detained for wandering

Staff Reporter :

Cracking a whip against anti-social elements for taking instructions casually, the city police, on Saturday, detained 908 citizens for roaming around without any reason. Similarly, a total of 148 owners of commercial establishments were booked under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code for operating despite closure orders issued by the administration. Traffic police, during nakabandi imposed at important points across city, penalised hundreds of motorists who were on the roads defying the administration orders. Police crackdown on violators will continue till March 31, said DCP Special Branch Shweta Khedkar. DCP Khedkar also said all private and corporate establishments were ordered complete shutdown in city, except those providing essential services. On Friday, Nagpur Municipal Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe invoked the Epidemic Act and Essentials Service Act to ensure social distancing to contain spread of COVID-19. Schools, cinema halls, swimming pools, gyms, malls, spas, clubs, amusement parks, gardens and other establishments have been closed and all mass gatherings, functions, congregations are prohibited in the city till March 31. “Citizens should not take the instructions casually and follow the government orders to stop spread of coronavirus,” DCP Khedkar said.

Metro, city bus services to remain suspended today

Staff Reporter :

NAGPUR Metro train services and city bus services will remain suspended on Sunday, following the appeal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for observance of ‘Janata curfew’ as a measure to fight COVID-19. Maha Metro has also decided to operate train services from 8 am to 11 am and from 4 pm to 7 pm from March 23 (Monday). Metro train will operate from 8 am to 11 am to provide transportation to those travelling from home to office, especially those associated with providing essential services. Similarly, afternoon services from 4 pm to 7 pm will fulfil transportation needs of those returning home after office hours. The metro trains will operate at 30 minute frequency, as announced earlier. The decision has been taken to cut down non-essential and avoidable travel. Already, Maha Metro has issued advisory urging its commuters to travel only in case of emergencies.