'New varient' scare: Mumbai gears up for night curfew; essential supplies spared
Mumbai, Dec 21: As the Maharashtra government on Monday declared a night curfew in municipal corporation areas, the Mumbai civic administration moved to enforce restrictions and make arrangements to quarantine air passengers arriving from Britain, where a new COVID-19 variant is spreading fast.
The state government has declared a night curfew in municipal corporation areas (cities) from December 22 to January 5 as a precautionary measure amid growing concerns over the new coronavirus variant spreading in Britain.
As per the state government directive, a curfew between 11 pm and 6 am will be enforced in the financial capital till January 5, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner I S Chahal said.
Chahal said essential services like vegetable and milk supply will remain unaffected during the night curfew but more than five people can not assemble at a place during the seven- hour-long period.
The IAS officer said the government decision will put restrictions on Christmas and New Year celebrations in the metropolis.
People were found violating COVID-19-related norms at pubs and night clubs during recent raids, the civic commissioner said.
As per the state government estimates, around 1,000 passengers are expected to arrive at the city airport by five flights from the UK till December 22 midnight, he said.
Chahal said all of them will be compulsorily kept at institutional quarantine facilities for seven days even if they do not have any COVID-19 symptoms.
Passengers showing COVID-19-like symptoms will be admitted at the BMC-run Seven Hills Hospital at suburban Marol, he said.
Passengers from Pune, Nagpur and other parts of the state coming by these flights won't be allowed to go home and they will have to stay in institutional quarantine even if they do not show any COVID-19 symptoms.
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Karnataka govt seeks agency to manage rural drinking water units: Minister
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on Wednesday said the state government is working to appoint an agency to manage clean drinking water units in rural areas.
The state Rural Development and Panchayat Raj minister was responding to a question by Hirekerur MLA U B Banakar in the legislative assembly.
"In the rural areas of the state, many clean drinking water units have been set up under corporate social responsibility (CSR) grants, including contributions by MLAs and MPs, and handed over to gram panchayats. After the maintenance period, problems have arisen in keeping these units operational," Priyank said.
He added that a proposal has been made to award a maintenance contract to one of the country’s reputed drinking water unit manufacturing companies, but so far, no companies have come forward to take up the work.
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"The government is continuing its efforts and will resolve this problem soon," he said.
On a query regarding fluoride content in water, the minister said water quality testing is being conducted monthly in all zilla panchayats.
"Laboratories have been opened for this purpose. Around 6.5 lakh water samples have been tested across the state, and water testing kits have been provided to villages," he added.
