Exclusive: Maharashtra govt working on war footing to deal with Coronavirus, state minister Anil Deshmukh says

The Maharashtra government is working on a war footing to deal with the coronavirus epidemic, state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh told Zee Business Managing Editor Anil Singhvi in an exclusive interview today.

Anil Deshmukh said that all government departments including health, police and education have been working round the clock to control the situation. The number of cases reported in Maharashtra have crossed 100.

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The government has deployed the entire state machinery to control the situation, he said.

He added that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has been personally involved in the day-to-day developments in this regard.

In an important announcement, the home minister said that the state has made special arrangements for all the essential needs of the people to be met with adequate amount of food items including vegetables. He assured that there will not be any shortage even if the situation stays this way for next 3-4 months.

Anil Singhvi also pointed out a state-specific problem of Mumbai homes not having enough space, which increased the human contact even more, aggravating the problem.

Deshmukh said that staying at home was the safest thing to do during this time. Only essential services have been allowed by the state, the home minister said. He said that the administration will not shy away from enforcing lockdown and deal with violations with an iron hand.

On the issue of daily wagers, for whom it is a double blow - no work and lockdown not allowing them to go to native places - Anil Deshmukh said that the state had urged the companies/establishments to pay them even if they do not come to work. In what will come as great relief for workers, he added that many of these companies have already agreed to the government's requests.

Deshmukh said that the government has sealed inter-state borders and inter-city borders to stop people from travelling.

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The government has urged the people not to come out in open. He concluded by saying that the people can provide the biggest service to the nation by just staying at home.