Maharashtra Dy CM Ajit Pawar justifies Pune lockdown, says 'People don't follow rules'

After imposing total lockdown in Pune and neighboring districts, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, on Friday, said that lockdown was necessitated as people failed to follow rules. Likening the situation to England, he said that the country had imposed lockdown again as the cases increase. Pawar said that to break the chain, the authorities had to ensure that there no contact among people.

Pawar clarifies reason for Pune lockdown

Coronavirus Live Updates: India's tally rises to 7,93,802; Pune put under 10-day lockdown

Pune under 10-day lockdown

Earlier in the day, Pune district collector Naval Kishore Ram announced a complete lockdown in Pune Pimpri-Chinchwad and some parts of Rural Pune from July 13 to 23. Moreover, 22 villages have been identified in rural parts of Pune district where this lockdown will be implemented. The lockdown will be implemented in two phases between 13 to 18 July - when only medical shops, dairies and hospitals, newspaper delivery will be allowed to remain open, making it as strict lockdown. The second phase may not be as strict but only essential shops will be allowed to remain open. Maharashtra has 2,30,599 Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases with 9667 deaths.

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Pune's COVID-19 crisis

In past 24 hours, Pune district in Maharashtra reported its highest single-day spike of 1,803 new COVID-19 cases, which pushed its overall count to 34,399. The death toll in the district reached 978 with 34 more people succumbing to the infection on Thursday. A total of 581 patients were discharged from hospitals post-recovery across the district during the day.

"Of the 1,803 cases, as many as 1,032 were reported from the areas located in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) limits, where the number of patients has reached 24,977," said an official. With 573 new cases in Pimpri Chinchwad on Thursday, the COVID-19 count in the industrial township stood at 6,982. The number of coronavirus positive cases reported from the district's rural parts, areas in the Pune Cantonment Board as well as the civil hospital rose to 3,138, the official said.

Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and 22 nearby villages under complete lockdown from July 13 to 23

Maharashtra extends lockdown

CM Thackeray has extended the COVID-19 lockdown in the state limited to containment zones till July 31. Moreover, Maharashtra's capital - Mumbai has been put under section 144 till July 15 - with movements restricted to neighbourhoods near one's residence. Travel beyond that limit is allowed only for office commute, medical emergencies and essential services. Areas adjoining Mumbai -  the municipal corporations of Thane, Navi Mumbai, Kalyan-Dombivli, Mira-Bhayandar, Ulhansnagar, Panvel and Bhiwandi will be under complete lockdown for ten days from July 3 onwards, due to the sudden rise in cases.

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