Despite the Covid-19 positivity fee being over 5 per cent, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation on Saturday introduced extra relaxations, permitting all important and non-essential outlets to stay closed until 7 pm and eating places and bars until 10 pm. allowed to stay open.
PCMC has additionally allowed non-essential industries to function with 50 per cent capability. However, industries have criticized the PCMC’s transfer to ban the usage of Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) buses.
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Revised directions have been issued by Municipal Commissioner Rajesh Patil. The PCMC administration, nonetheless, mentioned that it’ll maintain an in depth watch on the positivity fee.
The PCMC chief’s directions acknowledged that the lockdown would proceed over the weekend on Saturday and Sunday. “All outlets will stay open until 7 pm. On Saturday and Sunday, the weekend lockdown will proceed with solely important outlets allowed to stay open. Restaurants and bars will stay open at 50 per cent capability until 10 pm. This order will come into impact from Monday.
Additional Municipal Commissioner Vikas Dhakane mentioned, “The positivity fee is on the brink, i.e. it’s 5.01 per cent. The orders will likely be efficient from Monday. By that point, we anticipate the positivity fee to fall beneath 5 per cent.
PCMC officers mentioned the choice to ease restrictions was taken amid strain from shopkeepers and hoteliers going through heavy losses. “Shoppers and hoteliers, who run their places on rent, were incurring huge losses due to the partial closure. They were desperately pleading with us to relax the restrictions on humanitarian grounds,” Dhakane mentioned.
Dhakane, nonetheless, mentioned that the civil administration will maintain an in depth watch on the positivity fee. “If the positivity fee exceeds 7 or 10 per cent, we are going to instantly impose stringent restrictions. We will maintain an in depth watch on the potential for a 3rd wave.
The PCMC chief’s instructions have allowed non-essential industries to function with 50 per cent capability, aside from important industries, export oriented and steady course of industries. However, the choice to make it obligatory for non-essential industries to make sure motion of employees by workplace automobiles as a substitute of PMPML buses has drawn criticism. “Not every small scale industry can afford to make special arrangements for vehicles. This decision is unacceptable,” mentioned Sandeep Belsare, president of Pimpri Chinchwad Small Scale Industries Association.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
