By Dominick Rodrigues
Mumbai : Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said that with the COVID-19 second wave prevailing and occurrence likely of the third wave including the mutated +Delta Plus+ variant, advance planning by the Health Department is needed for prevention of increasing percentage of infection and ensuring adequate Oxygen, ICU beds and Field Dispensaries.
Videoconferencing with district collectors of Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur and Hingoli where COVID-19 cases are reported to be increasing, he urged the local administration to take decisions after judging the ground situation, including ensuring proper storage of oxygen, field dispensaries etc.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Government is highlighting +Mission Oxygen+ [Oxygen self-sufficient Scheme] in which the present daily production of 1300 MT oxygen will be increased to 3000 MT through many incentives for such industries.
Assuring the Maharashtra Government’s cooperation to all industrialists willing to invest in this project, Thackeray urged oxygen industries to immediately increase their oxygen production and storage capacity in the state within the next three to four weeks so that oxygen requirement could ,be met in the possible third wave of the coronavirus.
While sympathising with industries facing a financial crisis due to lockdown, he also urged for priority in saving people from the pandemic and ensuring oxygen storage at full capacity.
The Chief Minister also directed setting up of police department-wise training centres to raise the state’s policing calibre to international level. The Chief Minister stated this while performing the Bhoomipoojan (foundation stone laying) of the Malharpeth police station and residential police quarters in Satara on June 24.
This would help achieve greater efficiency and morale of the state police department, which had consistently set the national benchmark for sleuthing and maintaining law and order in India, Thackeray noted, adding that the first such sub-centre would be inaugurated at Kolhapur on Sunday to coincide with the birth anniversary of Rajashri Shahu Maharaj.
Highlighting use of modern technology in building homes for police personnel and also nearer to their workplaces, Thackeray said such improvements helped raise the morale and calibre of police in their sleuthing and curbing criminal activities besides providing assistance to the poor.
Noting that the region had a large agro market and heavy vehicular traffic also, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar praised the police for reporting promptly on duty — despite suffering COVID-19 infection – to keep crimes under control among the area’s increasing population.
