Film and television serial makers and producers on Sunday decided to stop shootings from March 19 to March 31 and the Mumbai Police clamped prohibitory orders banning assembly of five or more persons, even as the number of positive coronavirus cases mounted to 33 in Maharashtra.
In another precautionary measure taken by it in view of coronavirus outbreak, the Maharashtra Government — invoking the provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897 — suspended the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) examination till March 31, 2020.
“The State Govt in exercise of the Epidemic Act,1897 has postponed all exams of MPSC scheduled to happen in Maharashtra until 31st March 2020 or until further orders as precautionary measures against corona,” State Tourism Minister Aditya Thackeray tweeted.
With two more fresh positive cases — one each from Aurangbad and Pimpri-Chinchwad, the total number of positive COVID-19 rose to 33 in the State. While Pune and the neighbouring Pimpri-Chinchwad accounted for a maximum of 16 cases, the break-up of positive coronavirus cases elsewhere in the State was: Mumbai-5, Nagpur-4, Yavatmal-2, Panvel-1, Kalyan-1, Navi Mumbai-1, Thane-1, Ahmednagar-1 and Aurangabad-1.
In an effort to reduce crowds in public places in the country’s commercial capital, the Mumbai Police has clamped prohibitory orders under Section 144 banning assembly of five or more persons in the city till March 31.
Divisional Commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar said the administration was contemplating similar prohibitory orders in Pune. “As a precautionary measure, we have decided to close down parks. Though the State Government has decided to close down malls, a small relaxation has been made in the case of vendors in malls selling medicine, vegetables and groceries. Besides these, no shopping units will remain open till March 30,” Dr Mhaisekar said.
Mumbai’s Deputy Commissioner of Police Pranay Ashok said that all tours — organised through private operators or through professional organisations — had been banned in Mumbai till March 31.
At a joint meeting held here on Sunday the Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association (IMPPA), Western India Film Producers’ Association (WIPFA), Indian Film and Television Producers Council (IFTPC), Indian Film & Television Directors’ Association(IFTDA) and Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) stop shootings of films, television serials, web series and other entertainment programmes from March 19 to March 31 in view of the spread of Coronavirus across the world.
“A decision about re-starting the shootings will be taken on March 30 after considering the prevailing situation at that time,” an IMPPA spokesperson said.
Talking to mediapersons, State Health Minister Rajesh Tope that in an effort to enhance the COVID-19 testing facilities in Maharashtra, the State Government would set up a new laboratory in Pune in 15 to 20 days. “We shall get new machines, for testing blood samples to quicken up the process of getting the tests reports. We are also planning to set up new testing labs in Miraj, Dhule, Solapur and Aurangabad,” Tope said.
Tope said the bed capacity in Kasturba Hospital, which is currently handling coronavirus cases in Mumbai, will be increased fromthe 100 to 1000 in the next two to three days.
In a related development, three patients with coronavirus symptoms, who had fled from the isolation ward in Ahmednagar Civil Hospital on Saturday, returned to the facility early on Sunday.
Following the decision taken by the State Government, all schools, colleges, cinema halls, auditoriums, malls, swimming pools, gymns, public places have been shut down in urban areas of Maharashtra, while a ban has been imposed on all political, cultural, sports events, taking out of religious processions tlll March 31 as a precaution. Deputy Commissioner of Police Pranay Ashok said all tours — private or through professional organisations — has been banned in the city with immediate effect till March 31.
However, the Maharashtra Government has spared the suburban trains and BEST buses, which are lifelines for Mumbaikars — from the shutdown it has imposed during the past two days.
