Step By Step Unlocking is the Way, We Should Not Be Hasty: Pune Mayor

Pune, 27th May 2021: Covid positive cases in Pune City and Maharashtra are coming down slowly but consistently. Hence, the talks of unlocking the city for business and daily activities are going on. A few days back, the Maharashtra state government minister said that there might be a four-phase unlocking for the businesses and other activities.

Pune Mayor Murlidhar Mohol said that he will be insisting on phased unlocking of the city in the meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday. He was talking in a meeting arranged between MCCIA backed Pune Platform for Covid Response (PPCR) and municipal administration. The meeting was organised for Tuesday. Municipal Commissioner Vikram Kumar, PMC Standing Committee chairman Hemant Rasne, Leader of the House Ganesh Bidkar, Additional Commissioner Rubal Agarwal, were also present.

“The city has efficiently battled both the waves of the Covid 19, and it had to face two lockdowns in the first wave of Covid last year. The stress on administration and effects of first unlocking has been seen evidently. Hence, all the needs of the system should be taken into account before announcing full unlocking. Thus, we believe that phase-wise unlocking will benefit the city and it will also reduce stress on the system”, Mohol said.

Mukesh Malhotra, Past President-MCCIA stated that there is a need to apply logic and precision when we come out with measures restricting the activities. For example – In the areas where the positivity ratio is low can remain open for longer hours and remain restricted/open for lesser hours where the positivity ratio is higher. He added that the measures restricting the activities should be announced sufficiently in advance and the causal relationship should be known to people at large. There is a need for consistency in the norms followed by PMC and PCMC.

Malhotra added that all fully vaccinated people should be allowed to move freely within the City without any restrictions. The measures of restrictions/ unlocking of activities can be reviewed once a week. The economic activity has suffered badly due to restrictions and there is a case for opening up of activities (eg closure of automotive dealers shops has impacted the demand for vehicles). The city’s economy can not thrive only on the food sector and essential services.

The Mayor suggested that such suggestions can be given to PMC so that they are compiled and discussed at the weekly meeting convened by the Guardian Minister where all the Elected Representatives and officials from Municipal Corporations and other local authorities, District Administration are present. The Mayor stated that the Unlocking of the activities will be done in phases and the thinking of PMC is to continue restrictions on Political, Social Events as well as Marriages. He stated that Essential Services may be allowed to continue on Saturdays and Sundays as on other weekdays.

MCCIA president Sudhir Mehta, who is the Lead Coordinator-Pune Platform for Covid-19 Response (PPCR), stated that the data based document is being prepared by Scientists to help us understand the pattern of infections and give pointers for the future. He advised the team to complete the work within a week. The document would focus on Data Analysis of Infections, Genome Sequencing and Immune Resource.

Dr Ganesh Natarajan, Chairman of Pune City Connect, stated that a lot of youngsters have been vaccinated and they are allowed to go to work.

Experts suggested compulsory and proper use of masks at all times to prevent the spread of infections in the city. They also highlighted the need for speedier vaccination in the city.

म्युकरमायकोसिस’चा वाढता धोका पुणे महानगरपालिका राबविणार शोध मोहीम

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