THE city's congested areas continue to see a rapid increase in the number of Containment Zones (CZ) as a result of positive cases in such areas across wards. Out of the total 1,391 CZs in the city, 779 (56 per cent) are in high density areas.

While the southern part of the city — Worli, Dharavi and Byculla has been the centre of COVID-19 cases, in the past 10 days, the northern and eastern part of the city have also seen CZs rise. The Kurla-Chembur belt in Eastern suburbs and the Jogeshwari-Andheri belt in western suburbs, together have nearly 25 per cent of the city's CZs. Out of the 1,391 active CZs, these two together have 322. Byculla too has seen a significant rise.

In the L ward, comprising Kurla and Chembur, CZs increased from 58 to 176 in the past 10 days, with 140 being in congested areas. Most parts of the ward are slum pockets. Assistant Commissioner Manish Valanju was unavailable for comment.

K West ward, comprising Jogeshwari to Vileparle West, has 146 active CZs, of which 92 are in congested areas like slums and gaonthans. The local ward officer said that the number is high because of the sealing of small pockets and not whole areas. "We are closing access to smaller areas instead of closing large chunks. It helps manage essential services. Hence the numbers are high," said Vishwas Mote, assistant commissioner of the K West ward. He added that the most number of CZs are in congested areas like Gilbert Hill, Behram Baug, Gillette Nagar, Anand Nagar and Versova Koliwada.

E ward, that comprises Byculla, has over 100 CZs, of which 37 are in congested areas. Dharavi (G North), Parel-Worli (G South) and Santacruz E to Bandra E (H East) also have a high number of CZs.

The above six wards have 721 CZs, of which 430 are in congested areas. "The increased cases in congested areas is the outcome of the targeted approach for identification of COVID-19 suspects and testing," said a senior BMC officer. The officer added that the strategy includes proactive contact-tracing, containing pockets, house-to-house surveys of contained pockets, fever camps and identifying suspected cases.

Doctors wearing PPE suits prepare to enter Jijamata Nagar, a containment zone in Worli. Pic/ Ashish Raje

Suresh Kakani, additional municipal commissioner, said, There is a personal, social and economical angle to containment zones. If we can quarantine high-risk contacts from these zones and people follow basic hygiene and social distancing, the lockdown can be eased to some extent. It will also benefit society at large and will even be helpful for the economy. There are secondary industries in congested areas which provide raw material or services to mainstream industries. If the number of positive patients comes down in places like Dharavi, it will surely help the economy of the entire city."

Mumbai's Containment Zones (CZ)

Active CZs: 1,391
Released: 318

Wards with high CZs (on April 18 and April 28)

L: 58 and 176
K West: 59 and146
E: 53 and123
G South: 81 and 92
H East: 53 and96
G north: 15 and 88

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At a time when Maharashtra Governor, Bhagat Singh Koshyari is being blamed for delaying granting a legislative council membership to Chief Minister, Uddhav Thackeray, the former has recommended the Election Commission of India (ECI) to schedule elections to the nine vacant seats of the Council as early as possible.

The request made on Thursday is quite significant because Thackeray must get elected to either house before May 27 if he were to continue in office and give Maharashtra a stable government in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi constituents have also asked the governor and ECI to hold elections if nomination under the governor's quota wasn't possible. The nine seats fell vacant on April 24 but the commission postponed the elections because of the pandemic.

In his letter, the governor has said that the lockdown has been relaxed in many ways and hence the elections to the council seats could be held under certain guidelines.

Welcoming the move, Opposition leader, Devendra Fadnavis said, "This would be constitutional because the members would be elected in due process and it would also adhere to a norm that the governor's nominee should be made a CM or minister."

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Despite strict instructions from the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) and the state government, most private clinics in the area continue to remain shut. While patients are finding it really difficult to get treatment for other ailments, physicians claim that non-availability of PPE kits and sanitisation of clinics were their biggest challenges.

Following several complaints, Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner, Sanjay Kumar through his official twitter handle appealed to doctors on humanitarian grounds to remain open. The tweet says, "A humble and humanitarian request to all the doctors having private clinics to open up their clinics for non COVID-19 treatments... We are ready to extend all out support for the purpose."

Speaking about the problems doctors were facing, Dr Chetan Chhajed, orthopaedic surgeon, Navi Mumbai, said, "I run a private hospital in Kamothe, which is open but we face a threat to our lives because of the unavailability of PPE kits. They are not available. We have somehow arranged for some masks for our staff but the local authorities are not sanitising the clinic. We allow only patients with serious conditions to visit the clinic, the rest are given consultation online. Another problem is that no transport is available and not all patients have vehicles."

Dr. Pratik Phake runs a private clinic in old Panvel, which has been declared a containment zone. He gives appointments to his patients in advance and opens his clinic twice a week for three hours. Speaking to mid-day, he said, "The non- availability of PPE kits, thermal guns, housekeeping staff and medicines are challenges. Some shops are selling PPE kits and thermal guns at very high price, which needs to be looked into. Apart from this, sanitising the clinic is a major problem."
Meanwhile, Dr N Yewale, who runs a private clinic in Kamothe, said, "The society where our clinic is has locked its gate and we are not getting water supply, which is why I have shut the centre and have been speaking to patients over the phone. Maybe the society people are scared. Unavailability of PPE kits and sanitising of the clinic are other challenges."

Similar situation in city

The doctors in Mumbai are facing similar issues and despite warnings of legal action from the BMC, they haven't opened their clinics.

National vice-president, IMA headquarters, Dr Anil Pachnekar, who has his clinic in Dharavi, said, "Doctors in Mumbai have smaller clinics where it is difficult to follow social-distancing rules. The doctors are also scared due to the lack of PPE kits and N95 masks." "Different types of patients visit doctors' clinics and not all of them wear masks and use hand sanitizers. In such a situation, the clinic should be sanitised by the local municipal corporation," Dr Pachnekar added.

'Help the society'

When contacted, Navi Mumbai Municipal Commissioner, Annasaheb Misal told mid-day, "This is my appeal to all doctors to help the society and keep their clinics open for the people in need. The PPE kits are available in the market and we will extend full support to them. We have not taken any action yet and don't force us to do so."

"Many clinics have resumed operations. The health department is checking nursing homes first. Today itself 15 nursing homes restarted their services," said Dr. Daksha Shah, executive health officer, BMC. Speaking about the health issues he has been facing, Kharghar resident, Abrar Chaudhary said, "I have a neurospine problem since almost a year and I get my primary treatment from Bombay Hospital. I have been consulting some local doctors in Navi Mumbai but due to the lockdown they are not available at their clinics. They do undertake online consultations but respond as per their wish. I have swelling all over and am unable to walk without a support. Doctors need to check me first before prescribing medicines."

Worli resident, Anurag Singh, said, "It has been very difficult to find a doctor in our locality. A couple of days ago I had fever but when I went to my personal physician's clinic, it was closed."

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After an engineer in the G north ward tested positive for COVID-19, water supply to residents of Dadar-Mahim is likely to be disrupted for a while. The entire team in charge of repairing the water pipeline has been quarantined.

The engineers and workers of G north ward offices were on essential duty of ensuring water supply, but one of them tested positive for COVID-19 late Tuesday night.

"He was on duty of repairing the water pipeline in Dharavi. In all likelihood, that is how he contracted the virus," one of the employees said.

Soon after the engineer tested positive, the BMC health department quarantined the entire team on April 29, Wednesday, to avoid further transmission. The repair work will restart only after the team gets the all-clear, which will take a while.

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Four more cases of Coronavirus were reported from the APMC market — three in the vegetable and one in the grain market — on Thursday, increasing the uncertainty about the operation of the wholesale grain and vegetable market.

The infected include three traders and one purchaser. APMC already has 24 traders and 16 staff, including security guards, NMMC doctors and a pharmacist, in home-quarantine after they came in contact with an infected person. Besides, 14 others from the market are infected. The spike also raises concerns about the steps taken by the APMC committee to combat the spread of the virus at the cost of nearly a crore.

Shivaji Daund, commissioner of the Konkan division, said, "We are awaiting the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation's (NMMC) report on the latest positive cases. Accordingly, we will decide on whether to continue the operations."

A crore spent on precautions

Shashikant Shinde, APMC elected committee member and Mathadi workers union leader said, "Last week, six positive cases were reported at a hotel within APMC premises. It was decided that the market would shut down but due to government pressure, the decision was changed and only the hotel was sealed. Vegetable trucks are directly entering Mumbai. Very few trucks with vegetables, grains, fruits, spices, visit APMC."

Shinde added that according to the government APMC is an essential service and hence cannot be shut down. "I had recently suggested that we keep the market open for just three days of the week. The suggestion was turned down."

Highly placed APMC officials said the committee has spent nearly R1 crore to set up disinfectant spraying machines, a war room, and to get the market cleaned twice a week. Another nearly R50 lakh was spent to make alternative arrangements for 402 stalls for vegetable and fruit vendors in Kharghar, but that won't be utilised as traders feel the market in Vashi is already set.

Market insiders said, "We are using disinfectants and have thermal scanners at the main entrance but nothing can detect asymptomatic false-positive carriers of COVID-19. People coming in contact with such carriers are testing positive. The number will only increase in the coming days."

Another elected member of the APMC committee said, "Another problem is traders placing orders for multiple trucks full of produce.

"We allow only three hundred trucks to enter APMC per day and 300 are parked at the terminal waiting for entry. This shows that some traders are keen on making money during a pandemic."

Security officer infected

Last week, a 50-year-old security officer attached to the Maharashtra Security Board and deployed at APMC, tested positive. Five security guards, three officers, and two clerks attached to the fruit market had come in contact with him and were sent to home-quarantine.

"We were tested two days ago. The report will come in another two days. We are asymptomatic and are in home quarantine. The security officer used to attend meetings and take rounds of the fruit market," said Ishwar Masram, deputy secretary of the fruit market, who is also in home quarantine.

Sources within the market said, "Though it is not clear how the security officer got infected, the buzz in the market is that he attended a meeting organised by a state minister who is recuperating after getting infected. Our concern is that it is practically difficult to trace whom the concerned person came in contact with unless the person has downloaded the government's Ayush application that maps positive patients and their contacts."

"APMC has a staff of 550 people. The concern is that if one tests positive, 10 to 15 people contacts will have to be traced and tested. This means the number of working men will reduce as everyone will have to be quarantined," said Shirish Badgujar, assistant secretary APMC.

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While the COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), the Navi Mumbai police department is having a tough time dealing with rumours. In last four days, rumours claiming Janta Curfew or a complete lockdown resulted in a panic-like situation in various parts of Navi Mumbai. However, alert cops managed to tackle the misinformation by alerting the citizens and booked two people.

Despite the systematic management and strategy, COVID-19 cases in NMMC and Panvel Municipal Corporation area are on the rise with more than 250 cases in Navi Mumbai Police Commissionerate area.

"On the night of April 27, a message was posted on a WhatsApp group that, as cases of Coronavirus had increased in Kamothe, to break the chain, a complete lockdown or Janta Curfew was announced from April 30 to May 3. The message further said that only medical shops and hospitals would function," an officer from Kamothe police station said.

"A police officer was part of the group who alerted us and we immediately started verifying the message which was fake. So we summoned the group admins Amol Shitole and Ganesh Shinde, who were questioned and booked," added the officer.

But as a result of the message, on April 28, several residents came out to buy groceries and other household items. To contain the situation, cops went to every shop and stores to assure people.

The same panic-like situation was observed at Kopar Khairane and Juinagar on Wednesday, after the same message with the name of 'Corona Nirmulan Samiti' went viral – with the only difference being the location. As soon as the message went viral, grocery stores ran dry within a few hours. "We don't know the origin of these messages. But some people deliberately spread such messages, which not only spreads panic but also hampers our tireless work of almost a month" a senior police officer said.

Speaking with mid-day, Sanjay Kumar, Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner said, "We have noticed the spread of messages in the social media groups of non-existent curfew and are dealing strongly with such rumour mongers. People should keep track of official accounts and words about such important decisions."

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While many doctors have been complaining about the non-availability of safety equipment when they examine COVID-19 patients, a businessman has come to their aid by creating a cabin for such examinations, where they need not use PPEs.

The 38-year-old Vile Parle-based man has created an 'OPD' cabin that is divided into two sections for the doctor and patient. The doctor can examine the patient without using a mask or PPE as she/he does not come into direct contact with the patient, and can immediately sanitise the cabin after this. The businessman, Jatin Shah, gave one of the cabins free of cost to the Balasaheb Thackeray Trauma Care Centre at Jogeshwari last week, and every day doctors examine at least a 100 people in it.

Shah is involved with the aluminum industry and has used the material and glass to make the cabin. He has also donated 40 cabins to the Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka governments to examine people at the states' borders.

Shah said, "I saw many videos on social media about the challenges doctors have been facing while treating COVID-19 patients. So I decided to invent something that would help them. Within two days I created this cabin and gave it to the Jogeshwari-based trauma care centre free of cost with the help of an NGO."

Jatin Shah, the businessman

Shah said, "At the borders, 4-6 hours after testing when the report comes, if a traveller is found to be COVID-19 positive, doctors send her/him to hospital and if any patient is found negative, she/he is allowed to enter the state. I took the help of Wipro general electric, which finalised the design of this cabin and asked the Seva trust in Mumbai to contact the hospital and get the cabin approved," Shah added.

Doctor speak

"The cabin is really useful. We sent our four labourers to Shah's factory to help him construct this cabin. We also issued a letter to him from hospital superintendent Vidhya Mane. Within two days he manufactured it and gave it to us," said Dr Rangnath Jawhar of Balasaheb Thackeray Trauma Care Centre.

Features of the cabin

The cabin is 8X4 ft and divided into two spaces separated by glass. One section is used by the doctor and the other by the patient. Screening equipment including a digital thermometer and a fever gun kept inside. Both sides have a mike and speaker. A 20 lt tank stores disinfectant which gets sprayed inside

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A swimming pool maintenance employee working at the Bombay Presidency Radio Club (BPRC) in Colaba amid the Coronavirus lockdown died of electrocution on Thursday. Ramchandra Bhuneshwar's body was seen floating in the swimming pool by another staffer.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Sangramsinh Nishandar said an Accidental Death Report has been filed. "Prima facie, a 42-year-old man in charge of maintaining the swimming pool at Colaba's Radio Club died of electrocution. We have registered a case under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code against Radio Club officials and the contractor for breaking lockdown norms," he said.

Senior police inspector of Colaba police Shivaji Phadtare said Bhuneshwar was taking water out of the pool with the help of an electric pump when he got electrocuted.
Sources said that Bhuneshwar, a contractual employee, was asked by his contractor Babu Khomrekar to clean the water of the swimming pool a week ago. "At the time of conducting the panchnama, Khomrekar was called by Colaba police. He told the police that Adi Mistry, a Managing Committee Member working as the Chairman of Swimming Pool and Gym at the Radio Club, told him to get Bhuneshwar to change the pool water," a source working at the Radio Club said.

Bhuneshwar is survived by wife, Vimal, two daughters and a six-year-old son. His relative, Siddhant Gaikwad, said, "Bhuneshwar was asked to continue maintenance work at Radio Club's swimming pool even during the lockdown. He lives in Murud Janjira. When no permanent staff is working at the club, why was he forced to continue his work?"

President of Radio Club, Harish Kumar Garg, said, "I am not aware how Bhuneshwar died and what was he doing at the Radio Club amid a lockdown as I am a 72-year-old man and I have been staying home."

Ramchandra Bhuneshwar

Sources said nearly a dozen Radio Club employees living at the premises spoke to the Colaba police during the panchanama. "Committee members forced these workers to leave the club amid the lockdown because they spoke to the police," source added.

Club members speak

Advocate Ravi Goenka, a member of the club, said, "We all are following the lockdown rules and sitting at home. And the rich and powerful people who are on the committee of tony clubs (i.e Radio Club) call staff to work in spite of the lockdown."

The Radio Club committee refused to answer calls. A club member said angrily, "Calling in staff to work is exploitation and violation of the lockdown."

Several members expressed surprise that the pool was filled with water and not drained as no one swims there amid the lockdown. Another member said, "We do not want this brushed away as an Accidental Death Report. A poor employee has lost his life, let us get to the bottom of this through a thorough investigation."

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Mumbai Police shared a heartbreaking and inspiring video of one of the officers who was tested positive for coronavirus,  going away for his treatment, with a promise of winning the battle against the pandemic and joining back on duty soon.

The 15-seconds video was enough to make Twitter users emotional and they heaped praises for the cop for being courageous despite testing positive for the virus. The police department said in the caption while sharing the video, "Our 29 year old frontline warrior, who tested positive for Coronavirus, just summarised what we’ve been meaning to tell you all along."

The video shows the officer bidding adieu to his colleagues and getting into an ambulance that was waiting to take him to the hospital.

Our 29 year old frontline warrior, who tested positive for Coronavirus, just summarised what we’ve been meaning to tell you all along - à¤Â•à¤¾à¤¹à¥Â€ à¤ÂŸà¥Â‡à¤Â‚शन à¤Â˜à¥Â‡à¤ÂŠ नà¤Â•à¥Â‹ रà¥Â‡, मितà¥Âà¤°à¤¾! #AamhiDutyVarAahot #MumbaiPoliceOnDuty #MumbaiFirst#TakingOnCorona pic.twitter.com/tNJWg7Ljsv

— Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) April 29, 2020

The post shared on Twitter garnered more than 346,400 views and over 18,200 likes and was retweeted more than 3,600 times. The users commenting on the video said that they are praying for the officer’s speedy recovery.

That's the spirit ..salute to such a brave officer ...best wishes for his recovery

— Harish Raja (@hraja2016) April 29, 2020

I Salute and pray for the speedy recovery of all the Warriors who have been detected positive.
Tujhi kalji ghe Mitra.

— Akshay Raut (@akkir) April 29, 2020

His attitude says a lot about the young cop there... god bless â­Â
Yes tension gheu naka ... He will be back soonðŸ‘ÂÂŒ#PositiveVibes

— Neha (@IamNRGe) April 29, 2020

Get well soon sir love you all because of you we are safe and happy in mumbai..

— Aasif shaikh (@Asifshaikhseo) April 29, 2020

Salute ! Salute ! Salute

— Bharati Chaudhari (@bumekar) April 29, 2020

What do you think about the post?

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Ahead of the crucial Legislative Council election in the state, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday paid a courtesy visit to Raj Bhavan here on the occasion of Maharashtra Day and met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. Their meeting lasted for around 20 minutes. The move comes at a time when the Election Commission of India (ECI) is scheduled to hold a meeting over elections to the Legislative Council in Maharashtra. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 9.30 am today. Every year, Governor and Chief Minister meet on Maharashtra Day in a traditional parade at Shivaji Park but this year the celebrations are curtailed due to COVID-19. So, the Chief Minister went to Raj Bhavan to call on the Governor, a CMO official said.

Earlier, Governor Koshyari had requested the ECI for the election to nine seats of the Legislative Council in the state. The Governor has made the request in a letter to the Election Commission, to fill the 9 seats in the legislative council, that has been lying vacant from April 24, "with a view to ending the current uncertainty in the state." He has stated that the Central government has announced many relaxation measures regarding the enforcement of lockdown in the country. As such the elections to the council seats can be held with certain guidelines, said Koshyari.

"Since Chief Minister of Maharashtra Uddhav Thackeray is not a member of either house of the State Legislature, he needs to get elected to the Council before May 27," he added. Earlier, Election Commission had withheld the election process for these 9 seats in view of the COVID-19 situation in the country. This came after Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday called Prime Minister Narendra Modi about his nomination to the State Legislative Council. According to sources, Thackeray sought Prime Minister Modi's help, saying if it doesn't happen, he will have to resign.

Prior to that, the Maharashtra Cabinet had on April 28 once again had asked Governor Koshyari to nominate Chief Minister Thackeray to the State Legislative Council.

Before that on April 9, the state cabinet had recommended Thackeray's name for one of the two vacant MLC seats that were to be nominated by Koshyari to the Legislative Council to avoid a constitutional crisis.

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At a time the police have lost three staffers to COVID-19, a constable whose courage and enthusiasm for duty despite testing positive for it, as seen in a video that has gone viral; is proving to be a source of encouragement for the force. The 29-year-old constable attached to the Local Arms division of Marol, tested positive on April 21, and later tested negative. He has been admitted to the SevenHills Hospital where his third test will be done.    

Got himself tested

The constable was deployed with 14 police personnel on special duty at Bhagat Singh Nagar, Goregaon west, that comes under the Bangur Nagar police station, during the lockdown. On April 21 when he developed a fever, he got himself tested for COVID-19 but continued to be on duty. On April 24 when he received the report saying he tested positive for COVID-19, he immediately informed Senior Inspector Shobha Pise of Bangur Nagar police station.

Pise assured him of help and informed DCP Mohankumar Dahikar of Zone XI. Dahikar spoke to higher officials due to the non-availability of a bed in Guru Nanak hospital and managed to secure him a bed at SevenHills Hospital.

Encouraging words

The constable's 14 colleagues were put into quarantine and later tested negative. The constable was taken to the hospital in an ambulance by the police and BMC staff. The video shot then shows him encouraging colleagues. "Our senior officers are always with us, they take care of us. We police are the protectors of the public. Don't be afraid if one of us gets hurt while doing such work. Kahi tension gheu naka, me parat yeto dutiver” (Don't worry, I will be back on duty)," he said to colleagues before getting into the ambulance. The video was much appreciated, especially by senior police officers.

"Instead of being afraid of this disease, despite knowing that some of his companions have lost their lives due to it, the constable was full of hope. His courage cheered his comrades," said a police officer from Bangur Nagar police station.

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We will go ahead with patience and caution, said Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday asserting that the state government will give relaxations in lockdown after May 3 seeing the condition of specific areas.

"We will surely give relaxations after May 3 seeing the condition of specific areas but be cautious and co-operate, else whatever we have achieved in the past few days will be lost. So, we will go ahead with patience and caution," Thackeray said.

"I want people to not panic about COVID-19. It's only about starting the treatment on time. From few days old babies to 83 years old people have recovered and gone home. People on ventilators have also recovered well," he said.

The ongoing lockdown, which was imposed to contain coronavirus is scheduled to end on May 3. Maharashtra as the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country and the state's tally stands at 10,498.

The Chief Minister said that lockdown is working as a "circuit breaker".

"Yes cases are rising but most of the cases are of the contacts. And most are already in quarantine. And fortunately, 75-80 per cent people are asymptomatic of the disease so we are putting them in quarantine," he said.

The Chief Minister also wished the people of the state on the occasion of Maharashtra Foundation Day and Labour Day.

"I remember what my father and grandfather told me about the struggle of getting Mumbai in Maharashtra. I visited Jitata Chowk today and it was a unique experience as I visited it for the first time as the Chief Minister of the state for which martyrs had sacrificed their lives," he said.

"My father, grandfather and uncle were part of that Maharashtra andolan (movement). I remembered everyone who contributed for the formation of this state. I pay my respects to all of them before speaking to you," he said.

"We had decided that this foundation day will be celebrated with great enthusiasm at the time when our government was formed. But we are helpless. Even I had to go there with masks on my face," he added.

"I remember 2010 when we celebrated 50th Anniversary of Maharashtra state. I remember everyone's presence. Especially, I remember Lata tai's performance when she sang a historical song. Many people came and go but Maharashtra is as it was," he added.

"Even Aurangzeb had to accept that Maharashtra will not bow before him, he tried for 27 years. I am Chief Minister of such state and I am proud of it," he said.

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It took the BMC a full week to quarantine over two dozen high-risk patients, including the family of a Govandi resident who was posthumously found to have COVID-19. Right after the woman's death on Sunday, six neighbours got themselves tested at a fever camp and four returned positive over the next few days.

The woman, 55, was admitted at Rajawadi Hospital on April 24 and died on Sunday. A local social group identified 21 people as her high-risk contacts with symptoms.

While protocol states that family members and high-risk contacts should be tested and quarantined immediately, around 25 people were isolated at Vishnu Nagar in Mahul village only on Friday.

Of the six that visited the Mankhurd fever camp on Monday, one tested positive on Wednesday and was quarantined, two on Thursday. One positive diabetic patient is still at home as they require heightened care at a hospital.

Shankar Patil, president of the Govandi-based social group Rahul Seva Mandal, who highlighted the case in an email to CM Uddhav Thackeray on April 29, said, "The woman already had hypertension and diabetes. Later, her relatives, some family members and neighbours started showing symptoms. All live in Lumbini Baug in Panchsheel chawl so it is impossible to practise social distancing. They also use common toilets."

A neighbour whose husband has tested positive

The mandal had conducted its survey in the chawl on Saturday. Shankar said, "Had they not decided to get themselves tested, it would have been impossible to contain the spread."

'BMC's efforts taking time'

A neighbour — whose husband is one of the positive patients — went to the fever camp on Friday. She has a fever of almost 103°C. "We did not know that the woman had COVID-19. My husband, cousins and other family members took care of her as she already had diabetes," she said.

"After her death, BMC visited the chawl to take the names of high-risk contacts and said they will visit again the next day but no one came. All 21 people should have been quarantined immediately."

The BMC set up a fever camp at the neighbouring KC International School only on Friday

"We usually go out to buy vegetables and if we are positive, we don't want to spread the disease. Most of the people who tested positive were showing mild symptoms. They don't have too high a fever or difficulty breathing," she said. "I understand if the government doesn't test or quarantine neighbours, but at least test those who live in the same house. BMC is doing its work — but it is slow. We cannot directly blame them."

'Testing symptomatic cases'

M East ward Assistant Commissioner Sudhanshu Dwivedi said efforts was doubled at the fever camp in KC International School on Friday. When asked about the lack of testing of high-risk contacts, he said, "The ICMR guidelines say only symptomatic cases need to be tested. Earlier, we had set up a fever camp in a one-km radius of the chawl. It was in Govandi but in surrounding areas such as Deonar, Lotus Colony, etc. We also barricaded the chawl on Saturday, a day after the deceased woman was taken to Rajawadi."

"We also sent out Community Health Volunteers to check on residents' health. They told residents that if anyone is feeling symptomatic, they should visit the nearest fever camp and contact them. The whole process takes five to seven days." He added: "The six people found positive had gone to a BMC fever camp but in a different area. We test only symptomatic patients."

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Even as the Central government extended the nationwide lockdown for two weeks, the city recorded the biggest jump in cases in a single day till now at 751, taking the total count for Maharashtra to 11,500.

However, Mumbai witnessed a dip in the number of deaths. State health department officials said that 26 COVID-19 deaths were reported in the state of which six were in Mumbai, including a resident of Uttar Pradesh. Eleven other deaths were reported in Pune, three in Jalgaon and one each in Sindhudurg, Bhiwandi, Thane, Nanded, Aurangabad and Parbhani. Among those who died, 14 were above the age of 60 years while 11 were between 40-59 years. Fifteen of the patients were suffering from other ailments like hypertension and diabetes. The death toll in Maharashtra has reached 485 of which 295 have been reported in Mumbai. More than 100 patients have been discharged after full recovery.

Maharashtra reported a total of 1,008 new cases on Friday. Civic officials said that among the 751 new cases in the city, 399 had tested positive in various laboratories between April 25-28 and they were added to the list after the civic body received their details. Based on the recent circular issued by the central government, asymptomatic COVID-19 patients can be allowed to stay in home isolation if it is feasible. Civic officials said that people living in slum areas need the COVID centres more since home isolation is not possible for them.

11,506
Active coronavirus cases in Maharashtra as of today

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The lockdown seems to have brought out the good side of many. Staffers of the Indian postal department have gone out of their way to ensure that elderly get their pension, senior citizens can withdraw postal savings, the differently-abled get their stipend, and hospitals get their medicals kits. Some have even contributed to ensure food for the poor.

MID-DAY spoke to some of these heroes in Navi Mumbai Postal Region, which has 1,514 post offices in Thane, Palghar, Nashik, Malegaon, Navi Mumbai and Raigad districts.

"My dedicated team is working relentlessly to provide essential services to citizens. They are instructed to follow safety rules like using masks, sanitisers and physical distancing," said Shobha Madhale, postmaster general, Navi Mumbai Region.

Shobha Madhale, postmaster general, Navi Mumbai 

Madhale added, “When we learnt that no public transport was available from March 23, we quickly came up with a plan. Directives were issued to postal officials at district levels, to ensure that adequate cash was made available at post offices, and a postal assistant to visit senior citizens, the differently-abled or pensioners at their homes and hand over cash,” she said.

Also directives were issued to ensure that all postal ATMs had cash daily and that delivery of essential items, medicines, kits and medical instruments were given priority.

Surprised by kindness

Kedare Jayram, 76, pensioner from Nashik

“My father retired as a jamadhar (senior peon) at the Niphad post office, Nashik. Ours is a joint family and it is his monthly pension of R12,000 that is a major source of income for the family even today,” said his elder son Manoj, who works with a gas agency at a monthly salary of R7,500. During the lockdown we were worried about our father going to the post office for his pension. “I was surprised by the kindness of the postal department who sent a postal assistant home with my pension,” said Kedare Jayram.

Kedare Jayram receives his pension from postal assistant Pradip Bhandwalkar

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Pradip Bhandwalkar, 32, postal assistant, Niphad Post Office

“The last day of the month, pensioners usually get their money in their postal savings account. I visited the pensioners’ homes with a withdrawal slip taking all directed precautions. I took their signature on the slip, returned to the post office a few kilometres away and came back with their money. Would he continue this after lockdown? “I would love to. It gives me pleasure and satisfaction,” Bhandwalkar said.

Sushilatai thrilled

Sushila Patil, 90, Rayande Chari, Alibaug

She is blind and is bed-bound most of the time. Her sons live outside Alibaug and her daughter takes care of her. She was happy to get R8,300, which was sent in two money orders from the treasury department.

Mehraj Ausekar with Sushila Patil at her home

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Mehraj Ausekar, 51, a postman at Poynad post office in Alibaug

He said, “I visited Sushila two days ago and saw that she is too weak and old. She gave her thumb impression on the receipt of the money order payment,” said Ausekar. “I will continue to visit Sushila with her money orders. I get satisfaction in doing something for senior citizens,” he added.

Boss hits the ground

Vitthal Hatankar, 96, pensioner, Brahmin Ali, Alibaug

“My father was the postmaster at Alibaug post office and retired in 1984. Since the lockdown I, too, was unable to collect his pension,” said Abhay Hatankar, 55, the son. “We were surprised and happy to see postmaster general, Anuradha Penkar herself coming home to hand over the pension,” said Hatankar senior.

Vitthal Hatankar with the postmaster of Alibaug post office

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Anuradha Penkar, 60, is due to retire in October

“We have around 68 senior citizens staying in and around Alibaug. We went to all their houses and gave them their pensions,” said Anuradha. “I also visited two of them staying 10 km away in Awas. They were all surprised and pleased,” she said.

Grateful to donors

Kesav Satpute, 32, pharmacy officer, Tembha Hospital, Bhayandar West

“I was on duty on April 17, when the staff of Bhayander post office visited the hospital with five cartons from Dr Pratik Jain of Delhi, who has donated 100 PPE kits for our staff,” Kesav said, adding, “We have about 100 COVID patients and apart from regular supply of PPE kits and medicines from Mira-Bhayander municipality, we are grateful to donors like Dr Jain for these PPE kits. Due to the lockdown the postal team themselves had got the parcel in their tempo and we were touched by their wonderful gesture.”

Staff from Bhayandar post office with the PPE kits that they delivered to Tembha hospital

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Subhas Churi, 60, postal department staffer

“I usually do sorting and packing work at the Bhayander post office, but due to the lockdown I decided to deliver parcels received from Mumbai airport cargo at the earliest,” said Churi. When asked if he knew he was entering a COVID dedicated hospital, Churi said, “I am told that those who fear COVID are prone to get infected, and therefore I keep my fear at bay. I know I am serving those who are treating the most vulnerable patients.”

The numbers

Collection and delivery of payments by Navi Mumbai Region (1,514 posts offices) from March 23 to April 30

• No. articles booked – 4,572
• No. of articles delivered – 16,333
• Savings Bank Payments – 1,18,893, Withdrawals – Rs 228.75 crore
• Money Orders Paid: 2,064 Amount: Rs 42,67,913
• Aadhar enabled payment system (AePS) – No. of transactions: 22,116 Amount paid – Rs 5,13,29,520/-
• Personal contribution by postal staff in Navi Mumbai region: Rs 2,16,000

Info, courtesy: PMG, Navi Mumbai region

Postal staff cooks for needy

Nearly 1,180 packets were distributed by Palghar postal division to migrants and daily wagers and their children on April 4 and April 20, at Pelhar village, Vasai, Mahim Manor highway and other places in Palghar. The money came from contribution by staffers.

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We remember walking into Le 15 Café in Colaba on a late evening craving a gooey chocolate brownie. They had run out by then but a familiar voice from behind the counter told us if we weren't in a hurry, she'd bake a fresh batch. That was Pooja Dhingra, in her black and pink uniform and contagious smile, even at the fag end of a tiring service day.

Lodged opposite Ling's Pavilion, patrons to the Parisian café had many such stories to share, as seen with the thank you notes left on tissue paper. In 2015, Dhingra coaxed chef Pablo Naranjo Agular into moving to Mumbai from Colombia to create the savoury menu for the café. Their social media posts of sunny-side ups, waffles and tartine were drool-worthy enough to make followers land up for a meal.

'Uncertain times'

The lockdown and subsequent slump in business has pushed Dhingra to take the tough call of shuttering the café for good. "These are uncertain times and everyone has to look at the vision of their companies to decide the road ahead. Unfortunately for us, that meant to cut down our overheads to ensure we can keep the dessert business going. The challenges we predicted were low walk-ins, high rentals and the onset of the monsoon and a general slow-down of business," said Dhingra.

The café has been profitable for three years while the company has been profitable for six months. "We are operating from a central kitchen and servicing outlets. With a predicted decrease in revenue, it wouldn't make sense to keep this space going," reasoned Dhingra. For her, it's all guesswork about how long until the economy picks up. "What will change is how people dine out, and the emergence of social distancing that means reducing covers and higher deliveries," she said. Le15 at Lower Parel and Bandra will function as usual when the lockdown ends.

'A live organism'

When we call Naranjo in his home in Colombia, he is baking bread. His voice gives away the mood. Kneading dough might possibly help deal with the news. "A restaurant is a live organism that needs to feed, enjoy, rest, sleep and start all over again the next day. If you are not nourishing it, it suffers a lot. Coronavirus is showing us that reality," sighs Naranjo. "The time at the café was everything. I poured my heart and soul into it. I remember the times when Pooja would ask me to take a day off. But I would still show up on my off day. When I saw her love towards the business, it worked the same way for me. It's how we managed what we built together," he reminisces.

Dhingra is working on absorbing some of her staff. "We are working on an e-cookbook to raise funds for the team," she shares, signing off, "I dreamt of having a café since I was 16. I built it piece by piece with all my savings. Every memory will stay with me for life."

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The COVID-19 lockdown is turning out to be a blessing in disguise for all of Mumbai's pending rail work. Re-girding of a bridge on the Churchgate-bound fast line in the Bandra-Mahim section, which would have otherwise required cancellation of at least 250 local train services, was completed within 14 hours on April 30.

The steel bridge, which spans 9.15 metres and has seven cross-girders of length 5.8 metres is located on the Mithi River. The steel girders needed to be immediately replaced as they had got corroded.

Speaking to mid-day, Western Railway chief spokesperson, Ravinder Bhakar, said, "Mumbai suburban is one of the busiest rail networks of the world and to carry out work of such magnitude is a daunting task. This work required complete shutdown of traffic for eight hours on three consecutive days, which would have resulted in cancellation of at least 250 suburban services and cancellation/delay of at least 60 passenger trains in the section."

Sources said that the Railways decided to utilise the lockdown period and carry out the re-girding work by following all the social-distancing norms. Two cranes of 200 MT capacity, eight Farana cranes, 20 Hydra cranes and 18 excavators were deployed at the site.

Apart from this, the work was carried out by 30-40 track maintainers and contractual labourers, and a dedicated team of supervisors and officials.

All pre-block activity was completed on April 29 and the cranes were set up at the location. On April 30, work started from 9 am and the track part was completed by 8 pm. After that the overhead wires were fitted by 11.30 pm and the track was declared fit for train movement.

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Despite a nationwide lockdown, people continue to step out for morning and evening walks in Aarey Milk Colony. Moreover, there have been instances of locals venturing into the forest area surrounding the VIP guest house, which is known for wildlife activity.

Taking note of this, the Thane Forest Department has written to Aarey police station requesting action against those found flouting the lockdown rules.

The volunteers monitoring leopard activity in Aarey informed the Thane Forest Department about locals venturing into the forest area. A volunteer told mid-day, "I learned from my sources that many people, including some morning and evening walkers and Adarsh Nagar slum pocket residents, venture into the forest surrounding the VIP guest House, which is even frequently visited by wild animals. This information has been passed on to the forest department."

Sources also said that residents of Adarsh Nagar slums regularly roam around the VIP guest house in groups, flouting social distancing norms.

Range Forest Officer (RFO), Santosh Kank said, "People are expected to stay indoors and maintain social distancing but volunteers, who have been doing camera trapping exercises to monitor leopard activity saw people roaming in the area surrounding the VIP guest House hillock. The area has seen leopard activity in the last few days and to prevent any man-animal conflict, people should not venture into the woods. We have already informed the Aarey police station through a letter and we expect them to take action against the violators."

Illegal encroachment taking place in Aarey

The boundary encroachers built surrounding a huge portion of land in Unit 13

A nature lover from Aarey has alleged that people have been trying to encroach Aarey Milk Colony Unit – 13 by axing trees and constructing boundaries around a huge chunk of land. Elijah Emmanuel, a teacher at the kindergarten for slum children, told mid-day, "For the last two-three weeks, I have seen people cutting down trees and building boundaries in Unit 13. During the monsoon, hutments will be constructed as no one comes to check. When I objected, they threatened me and my family. Today, more than 50 people from the area came to my house and abused and threatened me with harm. But the people from Aarey CEO office came and demolished the boundaries. I have registered a complaint with the local police station and hope they take necessary action against those threatening me."

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Apart from being one of those areas in Mumbai, which has recorded the most number of COVID-19 cases, Dharavi seems to have come up with a bigger challenge now. According to ground workers, contact tracing has become a task in the slum due to incomplete addresses and wrong contact details.

A number of factors have led to the continuous rise in cases in Dharavi. One of them is the difficulty in following social-distancing rules, as it is a densely populated area. But if contact tracing becomes difficult, then it might become another point of concern.

On Friday, a team of officials, who visited the slum to trace a suspected COVID-19 patient, had to return without any success because the person could not be found. mid-day's photographer, who was at the spot, found out that it was because of an incomplete address. There have been instances of officials looking for people with minimal information about them.

Ground difficulties

"This does lead to situations where the person cannot be traced. In this specific case, the address was as vague as that the person lived behind a building in Dharavi. We reached the building and found a person of the same name but not the one we were looking for. There were no house number or road details. Most of the times the method we follow to reach a person is by asking around due to vague location details. Even mobile numbers are not correct sometimes," shared an official.

It has also been found that in some cases the numbers given by people are incorrect. The official further said that sometimes it's a task to trace contacts, as the details provided are vague and sometimes even incorrect.

'No such issue'

However, G-North ward officer, Kiran Dighavkar denied facing any such problem. He said, "There is no issue in tracing at all. It is not very difficult. Information regarding a person's location can be found out. There can be a rare case like this one but haven't received any complaint stating that it's an issue."

"We are also screening senior citizens by checking them with oximeter. We have appealed to about 350 private clinics to remain open and are providing them with PPE for free. If anybody is suspected to be a COVID-19 patient, he/she is sent to institutional quarantine for further tests. Until now more than 1,800 persons have been quarantined and currently 600 are in institutional quarantine. In fact, we hope to makeinstitutional quarantine possible for maximum number of people. Numbers will increase for another week and then we can expect the curve to flatten," added Dighavkar.

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While the BMC has issued an order for 100 per cent attendance of its employees, municipal corporations in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) want its residents to stay away from the city. The corporations are working on a plan to restrict the transmission of COVID-19 through residents who regularly go to Mumbai for essential services.

The plan is still in a primary mode but the corporations are likely ask service providers to make accommodation available for its employees near their respective work areas.

MMR, which includes Thane, Thane rural, Navi Mumbai, Kalyan-Dombivali, Ulhasnagar, Bhiwandi-Nizampur, Mira-Bhayandar, Palghar, Vasai-Virar, and Panvel Corporation, collectively has 1,159 patients, way below that in Mumbai which has close to 7,000.

"Nearly one lakh people travel to Mumbai from MMR every day for their jobs under essential services like banks, hospitals, and BMC. So if these areas maintain minimum contact with Mumbai, the transmission of COVID in MMR will be low," said a bureaucrat from the region.

"The number of positive patients in our area has gone up because of some residents who work at a private hospital in Mumbai. We are going to ask private hospitals to arrange for stay facilities for them," said a commissioner of one of these corporations. The civic body has identified 36 employees who work with the hospital.

The ideal situation is to create accommodation facilities for the employees near the work area. The chances of transmission increase due to travel. We are speaking to BMC," said a civic officer from MMR. Alternatively, he said, respective corporations could prepare Care Centres outside their residential areas for these employees who visit Mumbai daily. The administration is also thinking of a 15-day work, 15-day off policy for these employees.

While the MMR region comes under the red zone, some activities can start here if the number of patients go down. A list of migrants in each district – Thane, Palghar and Raigad — is also being prepared so they can go to their states safely.

Number of patients (as on April 30)

Mumbai – 7,061
Thane rural – 48
Thane – 412
Navi Mumbai – 174
Kalyan-Dombivali – 163
Ulhasnagar – 3
Bhiwandi-Nizampur – 17
Mira-Bhayandar – 126
Palghar – 41
Vasai-Virar – 128
Panvel – 47

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Nine police constables of Wadala police station have been found to be tested positive for Coronavirus. These police constables were deployed at checkpoints in the area and have been delivering food to the poor in the slums for the past one and half months.

As much as seven areas in Wadala fall in the red zone which is home for a large number of migrant labourers. Thus, the Wadala police were providing food to the migrant laborers and the poor in there. Keeping this in mind, 29 policemen tested for Coronavirus on Monday, out of which nine police constables were found to be positive and were admitted to the hospital for treatment.

According to the information received from the police, none of the nine policemen showed any symptoms. As of Wednesday, a total of 98 policemen have been found to be infected with the virus.

A senior Mumbai Police officer told mid-day, "We are taking care of the health of every policeman. Our team is also going to the red zone, so as a precaution, we had tested the policemen on duty there."

"With nine policemen being tested positive, the entire Wadala police station has been sanitised. We are taking care of the policemen as well as their families,"  he added.

Port Zone DCP Rashmi Karandikar told mid-day, "All the policemen tested positive have been admitted to Guru Nanak Hospital and are undergoing treatment."

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A PIL has been filed in Bombay High Court asking the government to make a strategy for exiting the lockdown. It further asks the government to make plans for the protection of health care workers, police officials, and others providing essential services. The PIL also demands the deployment of the army in sensitive areas.

The petitioner Dr Syed Ejaz Abbas Naqvi said, "There is growing negativity in the minds of the citizens of Maharashtra amidst the current lockdown and the possibility of its extension. Some violators are roaming freely hence, the intervention of the army and para-military is required."

The advocate of the petitioner Vishal Satyaprakash Saxena said that the PIL is filed asking the government of Maharashtra to formulate and disclose the strategy to exit the lockdown and to formulate guidelines for the well-being of the citizens of Maharashtra. The court will hear the manner on May 13.

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A 55-year-old man who was one of the 101 people arrested in connection with the Palghar mob-lynching incident has been tested positive for COVID-19. Sources said that 43 others involved in the case would have to be tested for the virus.

It is to be noted that all the 101 people who were arrested on April 17, were produced before a court on Thursday to seek their custody in another case regarding the lynching of three men including Chikne Maharaj, Sushil Giri and their cab driver Nilesh Tilghate in Palghar.

Sources have told mid-day that the person was tested negative on April 28 but 'he developed symptoms of coronavirus and was tested again'.

"The 55-year-old man was kept in lock-up with 20 others arrested in the case at Wada police station. The samples of all accused and police officials are being collected. They will be quarantined," said a senior police officer at Palghar, adding that the officers who have interrogated the person will also be quarantined.

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Three time MLA from Bandra West, politician Baba Siddique and son Maharashtra's youngest MLA from Bandra East Zeeshan Siddique reach out during the outbreak of the coronavirus where the city is experiencing a lockdown which is affecting lakhs of families. Zeeshan and his dad Baba Siddique are immensely contributing and working round the clock to provide relief to lakhs of needy families who are affected due to the lockdown.

Their efforts have reached an important milestone of 1.25 lac families across Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra. Recognition has also come from none other than Salman Khan , who has tweeted about their efforts. "We are running 5 community kitchens which are feeding approximately 4000 people daily, around 32 tons of groceries come in daily and a team of 150 people which includes, drivers, loaders, packers and delivery men work together for this cause. We are also reaching out to needy people from different parts of Maharashtra" says Baba Siddique.

The father and son duo have provided grocery kits to 50,000 families in Bandra West and 58,000 families in Bandra East. While Zeeshan who on his part is leaving no stone unturned, said "We are giving grocery kits with essentials like rice, dal, salt, oil, tea and sugar which is being packed and delivered by my team in my constituency and across the city ." he adds that "I'm also getting lot of requests on social media from different states, different political parties and social activists, we make sure these requests are fulfilled in Mumbai."

Though it's a never-ending task, Baba and Zeeshan's charity distribution network, supported by a dedicated team are putting in every effort to keep their social commitment of endeavouring no one sleeps hungry.

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Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope announced that all citizens will be covered under the state government's health scheme, and Maharashtra will be the first state to provide free and cashless insurance protection to its people. Speaking to reporters after a Maharashtra Day event in Jalna on Friday, Tope said 85 per cent of the state's population was covered under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY) at present and the cover will be extended to the remining 15 per cent.

A memorandum was signed to include government, semi- government employees and white ration card holders in the scheme in a bid to prevent private hospitals from overcharging patients, he said. "The government has signed a MoU with the General Insurance Public Sector Association (GIPSA) for treatment of COVID-19 patients at private hospitals in Pune and Mumbai," he said.

Similarly, different packages will be designed for all diseases, to standardise treatment fees at all hospitals, the minister said. Earlier, 496 hospitals were covered in the scheme, but now over 1,000 hospitals will come under it, he said. As per the Disaster Management Act and Epidemic Act, the state government has capped the fees of COVID-19 treatment at private hospitals, the minister said.

Hospitals that don't have tie-ups with the GIPSA will also have to standardise their treatment fees, he added.

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As a student-practitioner of visual arts and a short filmmaker, Sumeet Patil, 30, was always fascinated by pareidolia, the tendency and professional habit to see human faces in inanimate objects. Not that he made a living out of the practice, but it recurred as a theme when he pursued tree photography, or when he spent after hours around his BDD chawl residence or even when he made music out of unconventional objects outside the studio space. He saw thought-provoking human faces in rusted locks, discarded TV sets, bloomed flowers and broken belts. Little did he realise that this preoccupation would be one of the key themes of his posters designed to dissuade people from venturing out during the Coronavirus pandemic outbreak. Patil is one of 700 artists currently sculpting innovative visual messages persuading people to stay at home in Maharashtra.

Patil hasn't been at his home in Naigaon for over one-and-a-half months. He is in scenic Kudal in Konkan—not as a fun-seeking tourist, but a Mumbaikar unable to circle back because of the statewide lockdown. He had come to Kudal for a recce to finalise shoot locations for his upcoming feature film that looks at a blind girl's journey. The full-length feature stems from a 22-minute short, which he had shot in Kudal. In fact, he was walking through possible shoot locations along with the visually challenged protagonist Shabnam Ansari. But, just as he wrapped up the recce, the Janata Curfew was imposed on March 22. Soon followed the nationwide lockdown. Patil, along with his camera and laptop, became a long-standing guest in Kudal. His hosts—percussionist Vivek Kudalkar and singer-paramedic expert Trupti Damle Kudalkar—have extended their mango-cashew laden wadi to Patil, Ansari and the crew, who are now executing multiple awareness initiatives during the extended lockdown. Patil has, in fact, featured Ansari and four other visually challenged artistes (situated in different cities) in a video which underscores the willingness of blind artistes (who depend much on human touch) to embrace social isolation as the need of the moment. Kudal offers restricted mobility for Patil, after due precautions laid down by the local police.

At this point, pareidolia has become a bit of a default setting for Patil. "When one is away from home, the mind starts journeying through objects, which are in your consciousness; they come to life in the form of a thought," says Patil whose 200-odd posters concentrate on the dynamic of objects wedded to or associated with a spot. For instance, shoes that went out every day, now have a still-life; pants that saw the outdoors, are now locked in a shelf; a belt that accessorised a formal uniform, now wonders about its utility in a house where men wander in pyjamas.

Patil has made about 200-odd posters with expert advice from senior adman-artist Bhupal Ramnathkar, who is overseeing ad campaigns on Corona prevention 

Patil toys with the ideas every morning, gets expert advice from senior adman-artist Bhupal Ramnathkar, a senior adman currently overseeing public ad campaigns with regard to the outbreak. He is a JJ School alumnus and a fellow mate of CM Uddhav Thackeray. Patil's Kudal existence doesn't come in the way of the morning exchange over the posters. "I appreciate Ramnathkar's time, efforts and wisdom. People are currently in a frustrated mood; any poster can create a negative impact, especially when 'stay at home' is not something they want to hear," observes Patil who feels pareidolia in a sense minimises the risk of angered public reactions. It evokes laughter more than indignation. Patil has also focused on other themes that drive home the importance of not venturing out. For instance, he shows how home-based celebrations are the need of the hour, be it in the case of festivals—from Easter and Hanuman Jayanti to Ramzan and Akshay Tritiya—or commemorative occasions such as Babasaheb Ambedkar's birth anniversary, Maharashtra Day or Earth Day. It is the thought that counts, not the geographic location of
the celebration.

Patil's posters, often black and white, also dwell on service givers like nurses, policemen, sweepers and traffic police whose duty hours deserve respect from those staying at home. His poster on the relevance of Sankashti Chaturthi touched chords across Maharashtra. Over the image of Lord Ganesh, he superimposed the policeman on duty who is at supreme risk. "Whether at Kudal or Worli or Mahabaleshwar, it's the average guard in uniform whose care and public service touches our lives. People loved the equation between Lord Ganpati and the police on duty," says Patil, a Bal Shree awardee. Patil's affinity for the policeman is natural. His father is a police inspector with the Bhuleshwar police station. He has seen the daily grind of policemen families since childhood, and has witnessed life in the chawls where isolation is a foreign word; what he has not seen is a sealed neighbourhood. His parents and brother currently await his arrival in a tense pandemic environment. "They are at least assured that I am safe in a Konkan village where the infection hasn't spread; and that I can operate on my laptop to create images that contribute to the statewide 'stay-at-home' messaging," Patil says.

Patil has also kept busy with a cap-making initiative. Just as he realised that his stay in Kudal was going to be extraordinarily long, his mind started thinking of the May-June heat that Mumbai city will have to face post lockdown. "Being in a sylvan green Kudal, I was getting increasingly reminded of the heat Mumbaikars and others will have to encounter. So, I started making caps out of old newspapers." Patil started free origami workshops for school going children of the Ambedkar Nagar vicinity in Kudal. Workshops have flexible timings, but viable targets. He introduces variations through the use of earth colours and also moulds made out of dried leaves and fruits, which are available in abundance in the Kudalkar residence. Children are encouraged to stamp natural elements on the paper caps, be it a mango leaf or cashew insides or a dried twig. "I want to carry at least 2,000 caps for Mumbai, which will be a symbolic bond between Kudal's children and Mumbai's working class," says Patil.

Mask disposal is one area, Patil feels that needs advanced public awareness. During his stay in Kudal, he has started an awareness video campaign on ways to discard masks because the junked masks are creating hygiene issues across Maharashtra. "I feel the Coronavirus outbreak should give us long-term takeaways. We can't be littering our surroundings. This is also the right time to attack the Indian habit of spitting. As artists, we are trying to weave as many themes as possible into the Coronavirus bouquet," he adds.

Patil also conducts regular cap-making workshops for local villagers at the home of his hosts, Vivek Kudalkar and singer-paramedic expert Trupti Damle Kudalkar. He hopes the newspaper caps will help Mumbaikars battle the heat

Unlike Mumbai, Kudal has a pace of its own. Patil feels the pandemic has taught him to adapt to a new routine cycle, a slower rhythm, a more reflective ecology-conscious take on the goings on. In a recent visit to the Savita Ashram (a charitable trust sheltering 100-odd visually and mentally challenged), he realised how handicapped the children and adults bound to a remote location were where ration stocks are acutely short. Had it not been for the Kudal stay, the Mumbaikar wouldn't have possibly met the inmates in the far-off care centre. Patil inhabits new homes when his own is unreachable.

Sumedha Raikar-Mhatre is a culture columnist in search of the sub-text. You can reach her at sumedha.raikar@mid-day.com

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Apart from plasma therapy, COVID-19 patients who are in critical condition, will soon have another kind of treatment, to help fight the infection. Mumbai-based Haffkine Institute, which last month had submitted a proposal to conduct a clinical trial to use the anti-tuberculosis Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, as a therapeutic treatment received a nod for it from the Drug Controller General of India on Friday.

Around 30 COVID-19 patients, who have moderate or severe symptoms, will be part of the trial run, starting next week. "The BCG vaccine strengthens immunity and research has shown that it can be used as a therapeutic treatment, to help patients fight the infection. We received an approval from the DGCI and are waiting for the clinical registration number from the ICMR, which should come in a couple of days," said a senior official from the Medical Education and Drugs (MED) department.

While the trial will be carried out by the Haffkine Institute and led by Dr Usha Padmanabhan, it is being monitored by the MED department.

Mumbai has the highest number of Coronavirus-related deaths in the state, as well as in India. The official added that once the trials are successful, patients who are critical, especially in cities like Mumbai and Pune, will be able to benefit from it. "Unlike new drugs, the BCG vaccine is already in production and will be easily available. So far, the institute has carried out preliminary studies and they have come across positive results," the official said.

Dr Rajesh Deshmukh, managing director of the Haffkine Institute in Parel, said that they are likely to start the trial next week. "It will take place at the BJ Medical College in Pune. We have carried out the preparations and the scientists are almost ready," he said.

Based on the preliminary findings of the research for the trial, the effect of the virus can be reduced among patients, if they are given a dose of the BCG vaccine. The official said that the vaccine will help reduce the severity of the symptoms among patients.

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A 55-year-old man, who was arrested in the Palghar mob lynching case, has tested positive. Highly placed sources in Palghar police told mid-day that four days ago the same accused was tested negative for the virus. The accused was kept in a lockup at Wada police station with 21 other prisoners, who have been quarantined at a hotel. The hotel is being guarded by Palghar police now.

The accused is one among the 110 people who were arrested on April 17 by Palghar police in connection with the mob lynching of three men including two priests Chikne Maharaj (75), Sushil Giri (35) and their cab driver Nilesh Tilghate (30). "His fresh swab sample tested positive and the report was handed over to Palghar police on Friday. All the senior police officers swung into action as the news of him testing positive reached them," said a police officer.

"Since we don't have a district hospital here, we shifted him to Palghar Gramin hospital which is a COVID-19 hospital now," said a health officer at Palghar district.
Besides 21 prisoners, there are 25 others who came in contact with him, and they have been identified. These officers had served them food inside the lock-up, two others are doctors from Wada Gramin hospital. In all, 46 people who came in his contact have been traced and their swabs have been collected and sent for testing. All these 46 people have been quarantined at a hotel in Wada," said the health officer.

As per protocol, all the police personnel at Wada police station were relocated and the entire premises, police vehicles, etc., are being disinfected for two consecutive days.

Sub Divisional Officer, Wada, Archana Kadam, said, "The cops have shared details of those who came in his contact after April 17. We have identified a few, and they are being tested."

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While the authorities may struggle to get the rest of the city to follow social distancing and lockdown norms, one area in the city which is on board with their plan—and in fact, implementing stricter measures without being forced to—is Cuffe Parade's Machhimar Colony. The residents of this fishing colony have sealed their society, not allowing anyone to step out unless it's absolutely necessary. The residents have also decided not to fish until May 3.

The colony decided upon these strict measures after a resident was sent into quarantine on April 20, after coming into contact with a positive patient. The resident eventually tested negative.

There are a total of six fishing colonies in the Cuffe Parade-Colaba area—Machhimar Colony, Machhimar Nagar, Bhai Bandarkar Machhimar Nagar, Sagar Sanidhya Machhimar Nagar, Shivshrishti Machhimar Nagar and Shiv Shastri Machhimar Nagar. The residents of all these areas have decided to seal the colony, without any prompt from
the government.

Bhuneshwar Dhanu, advisor of Machhimar Sarvodaya Sanstha Private Limited, Cuffe Parade-Colaba, says, "Only those involved in essential services are being allowed to step out. Besides this, a team comprising youths from the colony has been formed. They stand at the gate and go buy any items that are required, without charging anyone."

Jayesh Bhoir, a resident of Machimar Colony, says, "We go to the dock after fishing, but crowds gather and so following rules of social distancing are tough. Therefore, we decided to lock ourselves in."

Chanda Jadhav, A Ward officer, says, "It is good that the people of Machhimar Colony are following the lockdown in their colony. Similarly, if all Mumbaikars adhered to the rules, we will be able to beat the Coronavirus."

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A day after the number of deaths dropped, Mumbai's death toll rose to 27 deaths on Saturday, the highest number recorded in a single day. The city's count of new cases was also high, as slum areas like Dharavi recorded 89 new cases in a single day.

Maharashtra reported 36 deaths on Saturday and 27 of them occurred in Mumbai, three in Pune, three in Amravati and one each in Vasai-Virar and Aurangabad. State health officials said that in addition to the 27 COVID-19 related deaths in Mumbai, a resident of West Bengal also died in the city. Civic officials said that 20 of those patients were suffering from other ailments including hypertension and diabetes and 15 of the patients were in the age group of 40-59 years.

Civic officials stated that 89 new cases were reported in Dharavi on Saturday and 38 new cases on Friday which took the total count of cases in the area up to 496. Among other areas, Kumbharwada continued to be a hot spot with 16 new cases in two days while Kunchikurve Nagar had 10 new cases. Apart from Dharavi, 17 new cases were reported in Mahim over the past two days which included two patients from the fisherman colony, and 13 new cases in Dadar.

Civic officials of G South ward, which had the highest number of cases, reported that 30 new cases were confirmed on Saturday. "The situation is better at the Worli Koliwada and Jijamata Nagar. However, there are a number of cases emerging from the BDD chawl and Prem Nagar," said Sharad Ughade, assistant municipal commissioner of G South ward. When asked if the restrictions at Worli Koliwada that has been sealed for several weeks will be relaxed, Ughade added that they will take a decision next week.

Two engineers in the maintenance department of Nair Hospital also tested positive. Dr Mohan Joshi, who is in-charge of Nair Hospital, confirmed the news and said, "These engineers did not come in contact with any COVID patients, they caught the infection from the areas where they live."

State health officials said that Maharashtra reported 790 new cases and of them, 547 of them were from Mumbai, and the city now has 8,359 cases. In areas across the state, 121 patients were discharged after a full recovery. Till date, Maharashtra has had 12,296 confirmed cases and 521 deaths.

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The Maharashtra government issued fresh orders on Saturday evening, disallowing revised lockdown guidelines in the COVID-19 containment zones across the state. Though the order didn't specify which activities would be allowed outside containment zones in big cities like Mumbai and Thane, the officials interpreted that no relaxation as suggested by the ministry of home affairs on Friday, would apply to the twin cities.

The order put to rest speculations that Mumbai and Thane would get some relief, for instance, running private offices on 33 per cent staff strength in the extended period of lockdown, which begins from Monday.

Chief Secretary Ajoy Mehta said in the order that the activities allowed in green and orange zones, would be suspended if any area gets notified as a containment zone.

In a separate communication, the state government also issued some clarifications through its media department. It said the people in Mumbai and Pune metropolitan regions (MMR and PMR) would not be allowed to travel within Maharashtra and between states. People from other districts and states will also be barred from entering the two regions.

However, the stranded migrant labourers from MMR and PMR will be allowed to travel after seeking due permission and submitting a medical fitness certificate.

In Mumbai, local police stations are accepting requests from the labourers, said the government, but added that the final call would be taken after assessing the pandemic situation in the city areas where the workers have been staying.

The government advised the workers to not rely on rumours and instead reach out to local police stations for authentic information.

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The Mumbai Police’s social media pages are gaining popularly among netizens for their epic memes during the lockdown imposed due to Coronavirus outbreak. After taking inspiration from Bollywood and popular series streaming online for some of their recent memes, the police department has now turned to Potterverse for some meme-spiration to explain their followers why it is important to stay at home.

In the Mumbai Police’s recent post on their Instagram account, they have shared what Hermoine Granger would say in her sassy way to explain the necessity to stay at home. The caption for the post read, “You already know Hermione's reaction if you step out unnecessarily during the lockdown,” while asking the ‘magical folks of Mumbai’ to stay at home. The message displayed in the clip will make you think twice step out of the house

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

You already know Hermione's reaction if you step out unnecessarily during the lockdown. Just #StayHome magical folks of Mumbai to win 'The Battle' against corona #BattleOfMumbaikars

A post shared by Mumbai Police (@mumbaipolice) onMay 1, 2020 at 10:26pm PDT

The clip shared on Saturday managed to garner 61,407  likes with many Potterheads relating to the post and calling the Mumbai police’s social media page the ‘coolest’. A user said, “Mumbai's Auror Department got no muggles.” Another user said, “Wish we could just expeliamus the virus. One more user said, “Harry Potter post on the day of Battle of Hogwarts?! You guys won my heart!”

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As many 137 people suffering from coronavirus have recovered and discharged in the city on Saturday, said Mumbai's Public Health Department. "With 547 new cases of coronavirus and 27 deaths which were reported today, the total count in the city has spiked to 8,172 and deaths to 322," said the Public Health Department. It further said, "137 patients were discharged on Saturday and a total 1,704 patients have recovered in Mumbai till now."

According to the latest data issued by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), 15 more people tested positive for the coronavirus in Mahim on Saturday. With this, the total number of cases in Mahim stands at 52. However, no death has been reported from Dharavi in the last two days, said the BMC officials, adding that "38 people have tested positive today, taking the total number of cases in Dharavi to 496."

The deaths in Dharavi stand at 18. As per Pune's Health Department officials, the toll in Pune district has increased to 103 after three more deaths were reported today. Meanwhile, as many as 56 people -- suffering from coronavirus -- recovered and discharged from a hospital in Thane district.

"The 56 COVID-19 patients were discharged today from a hospital in Mira Bhayandar, Thane after they recovered from the disease," said the hospital authorities. The State Health Department said that a total of 790 new cases of coronavirus and 36 deaths have been confirmed in the State.

According to an official statement, with 790 new COVID-19 cases, the total number of cases in the State has spiked to 12,296 and the cumulative toll stands at 521.

The statement further read that 121 COVID-19 patients were discharged in other parts of the State on Saturday and a total of 2,000 people have been discharged till date.

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This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

Coronavirus has brought everyone down to their knees, especially those who are suffering with ailments such as diabetes.

COVID-19 had mad eits way in the BEST department but the discharge of three conducters proved to be a silver lining, especially for the one who had diabetes.

The conductor was discharged from the hospital on Saturday morning, according to a report in The Times of India.

The conductor was admitted to the hospital on April 18 and even though his condition was deteriorating, he battled against all odds and recovered withing 2 weeks.

BEST cheif medical officer, Dr Anil Kumar Singhal said, "We are happy about our Corona survivor who was discharged with a negative report and sound health, and expect more recoveries in coming days."

Six more BEST staff detected positive for Coronavirus on Saturday, taking the total number from 29 to 35.

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Mumbaikars looked up in the sky with amazement as the Tri-Services accorded a grand aerial salute with showers of flowers and petals acknowledging the work of the frontline warriors in the war against the virus here on Sunday morning.

Helicopters and fighter planes flew over the empty but picturesque Marine Drive and other parts of Mumbai as the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force came out to pay tributes to the doctors, nurses, sanitation workers, police and others involved in the fight against COVID-19.

Helicopters flew around certain key hospitals treating Covid-19 patients like the INS ASHVINI, Sir J. J. Hospital, KEM hospital and the Kasturba Hospital.

The Sukhoi-30 aircraft flew in a march-past from the Raj Bhavan to Marine Driver while MI-17 and Chetak choppers showered flowers on the hospitals situated in congested localities of South Mumbai, mesmerising the citizens cooped up in their homes.

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Eight lakh people live in over 1,600 areas declared as Containment Zones (CZ) due to a high number of COVID-19 cases, but those living in nearly 60 per cent of them are at higher risk of contracting the respiratory disease as these are congested areas. The worst affected is the L ward, comprising Kurla and Chembur, with the most crammed CZs.

AS of Sunday, the civic body has sealed 1,606 areas, declared as Containment Zones. According to a BMC data, 944 of them have mostly chawls and slums, and with crammed houses and public toilets, there is a high risk of transmission of the novel Coronavirus in these places.

BMC says civic staffers visiting congested containment areas are also at risk. File pic

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's main challenge now is to keep minimum contact points in these areas. With the constant spike in confirmed COVID-19 cases, the BMC has started sealing small areas consisting of around 80-100 houses instead of locking down an entire slum pocket.

"Public toilets are the biggest risk. It is cleaned as many times as possible to avoid the spread of infection. Besides, people try to sneak out of their rooms as their houses are small. Also, there are many small and complex internal pathways, but we try to close all the gateways and separate the Containment Zones so the virus doesn't spread outside," said an assistant commissioner from the Western Suburbs. At 184, L ward, comprising Kurla and Chembur, has maximum number of CZs and nearly 85 per cent of them (157) are in congested areas. The K West ward, from Jogeshwari West to Vile Parle West, also has a number of congested CZs.

Out of 173 CZs, 117 are crammed. Bandra to Santacruz East, i.e. the H East ward, has also been struggling with a high number of sealed slum pockets. However, city's densest ward, Byculla East, has least number of Containment Zones in slums and chawls. Dharavi, despite reporting a maximum number of COVID-19 cases, has fewer CZs because the sealed areas have a large number of houses.

"We planned and executed five levels of measures. High-risk contacts are shifted to institutional quarantine. A common area, like public toilets, is cleaned two to three times a day. A team of doctor checks everyone in the area. There are fever clinics. We focus on senior citizens by checking the oxygen level of their blood and acting appropriately," said Suresh Kakani, additional municipal commissioner.

BMC staff, including doctors, nurses, health and sanitation workers, visiting these areas are also at risk of contracting the virus. As a precaution, the BMC has suggested that they take hydroxychloroquine tablets under supervision to avoid side effects.

7,795 high-risk contacts at Corona Care Centres

As of Sunday, as many as 1,778 COVID-19 patients have been shifted from hospital to Corona Care Centre-2. "Many of them have been discharge from CCC2 as well and they are advised to remain under home quarantine. But the figure is still not available," said a senior officer form the BMC. There are 7,795 high-risk contacts in Corona Care Centres. While the BMC also keeps asymptomatic people at the centres rather than in hospitals, there isn't any data available on the number of these patients.

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With the death of one more employee this weekend, the toll of BEST employees succumbing to COVID-19 is two, while four have recovered and have been discharged.

Sources said that an employee from the transport engineering department of Backbay bus depot died at KEM Hospital.

"The employee had reported to work and has been listed on duty until April 21, after which he fell ill. This clearly shows he laid his life working for the BEST Undertaking. His next of kin should be offered a job in the BEST and his family should be given an amount of R1 crore out of medical insurance," Shashank Sharad Rao, general secretary of the BEST Workers' Union said.

A BEST spokesperson confirmed the development and said the employee was suffering from high blood pressure and had been absent from work since April 22. He tested positive for Coronavirus on May 1 and died on May 3.

The first employee BEST lost to Coronavirus was a foreman working for the electric supply branch. He tested positive for Coronavirus on April 2. Since March 16, he had been admitted to a private hospital and had kidney-related ailments. He resumed work at Wadala depot on March 20 after and worked till March 22, after which he died.

On the other hand, there have been success stories too. A BEST spokesperson said a BEST bus conductor, who was diabetic, was admitted with COVID-19 since April 18. He recovered and was recently discharged. Another employee residing at the Parel staff quarters has also recovered. In addition, BEST has seen no positive cases since May 1.

BEST in numbers

. 30: No. of employees recuperating from COVID-19
. 8,865: No. of employees tested
. 1,500: No. of high-risk employees told to stay home
. 400: No. of employees recommended home-quarantine as a precaution

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Over the past six days, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has recorded a total of 124 COVID-19 deaths, almost double of the toll recorded between April 22 and April 27 (59), making it one of the major causes of concern for the city. With four BMC workers succumbing to the viral infection in the last two days, 21 deaths were reported just on Sunday.

Of the 124 deaths, 60 are in the age group of 40 to 60 years, three are aged below 40, and the remaining 61 are above 60 years of age. As per the civic body's data, 2,144 new cases and 59 deaths were reported between April 22 and April 27. Another 3,024 cases got added between April 28 and May 3. Meanwhile, 441 new cases were reported on Sunday taking the city's tally to 8,613.

Sources in the BMC said that they had formed a four-tier system to deal with the COVID-19 cases. Around 2,000 asymptomatic patients have been shifted from hospitals to COVID-19 quarantine centres across the city so that the health workers can focus on the treatment of serious patients.

Meanwhile, the number of patients in Dharavi is also increasing by the day. On Sunday, 94 new cases and two deaths were reported in the area. So far, the total number of patients in the largest slum of the city has reached 590 with 20 deaths. Mahim has reported 16 new cases with the total being 68 in the area.

Four BMC workers die
A total of four BMC workers, including a BEST staff, involved in fieldwork related to COVID-19 have died over the past two days.

A 46-year-old staff was working in the labour ward of civic-run Shatabdi Hospital in Govandi, where a pregnant woman had tested positive for the virus. The worker was a high-risk contact and had tested positive for the virus too, after which he was admitted to Rajawadi hospital in Ghatkopar. However, he succumbed to the infection on Saturday.

One motor loader, 49, working with the solid waste management department in BMC died due to the viral infection on Saturday. Another worker of N ward and deputed at the MCMCR training unit in Powai for COVID-19 related work died the same day.

Speaking to mid-day, Ramakant Bane, general secretary of the municipal union, said, "The workers are worried about their and their family members' health. With the growing number of COVID-19 cases, the BMC should test their workers on priority."

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Civil society organisations and independent researchers from all over the country have prepared a report explaining how the lockdown is adversely affecting tribal communities and forest dwellers amid an acute lack of awareness. It will be presented before the central and various state governments this week."

The assessment is prepared by civil society organisations and independent researchers who are working with tribals and forest dwellers. These include Campaign for Survival and Dignity (Chandigarh), Soumitra Ghosh of the All India Forum for Forest Movement (AIFFM), Neema Pathak Broome of Kalpavriksh, Pune, Tushar Dash and Sushmita (independent researchers), among several others. Work on the report has been in the pipeline ever since the enforcement of the lockdown measures on March 24.

Representative image:  tribal villagers in Jharkhand, Picture: Sushmita

Remote location a challenge

According to the report, lack of information among the tribals and forest dwellers about the pandemic and about the required protective measures is a major issue in tribal areas. "Tribal settlements are located remotely, thereby making it particularly difficult for information to reach there," reads the report. "The reverse migration from cities and urban areas also raises concern about spreading of the virus in tribal areas."

The report highlights how a lack of proper healthcare facilities and low testing numbers of tribal populations increases the risk of infection and how the lockdown has affected collection, use and sale of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) by tribals and forest dwellers. It also includes recommendations to the Centre on how to combat the issue and help the communities in need.

Representative image:  tribal villagers in Jharkhand, Picture: Sushmita

Speaking with mid-day, independent researcher Sushmita said: "COVID-19 impacts people with compromised health conditions and low immunity. This increases risks of infection amid the tribal populations living in deprivation. Testing and monitoring of the disease is inadequate and is mostly limited to urban areas. Providing testing facilities in tribal areas is a major challenge."

According to independent researcher Tushar Das, "The lockdown has affected collection, use and sale of MFP by tribals and forest dwellers. An estimated 100 million forest dwellers depend on MFP for food, shelter, medicines and cash income. The MFP collection season from April to June provides major income support to tribals (almost 60 per cent of the annual collection takes place during this period) and, unfortunately, it coincides with the lockdown. The trading and value chain of Non-Timber Forest Produce (NTFPs) has been completely disrupted under the lockdown as traders are not willing to buy NTFPs in the current situation."

The report recommends
According to both, Sushmita and Tushar, the Central government is yet to come up with a comprehensive COVID-19 response programme for tribal communities. The report recommends the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) set up a COVID-19 response cell and give specific guidelines to address the problems of tribals and forest dwellers. "The MoTA should also ensure that district and sub-district level officers are well informed about all relevant guidelines and orders related to COVID-19 regularly and ensure that these are complied with," Sushmita said.

"The Centre should coordinate with the state governments to provide immediate relief to the tribal communities by ensuring information and awareness, providing health care and testing facilities in the tribal areas, support for MFP collection and sale," Tushar added.

100
Approx. no. of forest dwellers, in millions, depending on Minor Forest Produce

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Disclaimer: Before I proceed to share this sonic timeline of an average day in my surroundings, I wish to state a few things to the folk who read this column: That these jottings have been recorded from a week's findings; that I live along the periphery of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, and so all mentions of unusual fauna activity should be treated with calm."

7 am: It's a pleasant way to drift out of bed to the sounds of sparrows, mynas, coppersmith barbets and even the cacophony of crows. Strains from MS Subbulaxmi's voice and tunes of Rabindra Sangeet add a melodious lilt to these waking up hours.

9 pm: Sounds from the idiot box emerge. Opening credits, ad breaks; this is interspersed by the frenetic clanging of bartans in the kitchen and the odd head-spinning wail of a child. By now, the mobile phone-addicted species also surfaces, making WFH calls in full volume. Yes, we know you work for some Jap investment bank and they are suckers for deadlines; well, so are Indian companies. Cool off, dude.

10 am: More TV noise, of the epic kinds. It seems like deja vu from the 1980s when DD was our sole screen saviour. The morning ensemble of avian artistes departs; making way for the next lot. Some feathered folk, like the crows and mynas, and a few squirrels are permanent occupants of the badam tree and the palms that are prime locations for their activities. By now, maali kaka has surfaced and so the garden hose is also in full flow.

11 am to 12 noon: The churning of mixer-grinders, pressure cooker whistles going into a tizzy and whatnot take over. There's some chit-chat with fussy kids by the box-grilled 'balconies'. Cicadas take over our central garden with their sonnet-like symphony. In sync with the sound of the hose, it's quite a summery jugalbandi.

12.30 pm: "Ushaaaaaa! Jaldi neeche aa jao; van tees minute mein aane waala hai" With that one ear-shattering battle cry by a hustler-type aunty, she's managed to bring down half the population from their homes as they begin to scramble for a 'circle' [it's assumed a whole new meaning since geometry class] in the endless queue that worms through the inner square of the society. All of this is, of course, to wait for that harbinger of joy – the veggie-fruit truck.

Till 3 pm: "Tumne toh dye lagaya hai, Shalu? Godrej ka hai ki mehndiwala colour?"; "Suna…woh Colony wala Singh uncle off ho gaya; Kwo-vid tha ya heart fail?"; "Butter se he chalana padega; ghee-vee bandh. Good faar health?" With such gems floating around, the birdcalls take a backseat. Nilkamal chairs are arranged for 'sinior log' in the queue, and chai for all as they wait for their turn to reach Everest. A mini jam session ensues for the socially-depraved inmates.

4 pm (approximately; on another day): Meena aunty has managed to arrange for a farsan dealer to set up temporary shop inside the society; it's a mini stampede, as packets of all kinds of snacks, from pani puri, khakra and chaklis to chivda sell like hot cakes. Hottest selling item? Khari biscuits.

6 pm: It's surprisingly quiet. Wait. Our resident stray doggies — Romeo, Juliet and son, Cocoa — start barking wildly. The Bandar Lok is back. Yes, the simians do their version of The Swing Thing in the green, wooded environs; the cable wires and pipes attached to each wing also offer easy access from to the next, having a blast each time they spot a loose clothesline to tug at something. "Dekho mummy, monkey khel raha hai," and similar such squeals make for evening entertainment.

7 pm onwards: Some of the tween-teen brigade sneaks out of their homes to coax their pals for a game of cards or other board games. There's relief in their loud laughter, of meeting up to giggle over a meme on their phone or a heady new track that's topping charts. They revel in the momentary bliss until one of their parents calls them back home.

8 pm onwards: The telly sounds get louder — by now news channels vie for high-decibel bragging rights over the Balaji soap reruns and Hindi masala flicks. The show will go on, and the sounds rarely cease.

Now showing: The new normal.

mid-day's Features Editor Fiona Fernandez relishes the city's sights, sounds, smells and stones...wherever the ink and the inclination takes her. She tweets @bombayana
Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com

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Due to the lockdown, migrant workers who were stranded in Mumbai are being sent back to their villages. Today, the Mumbai Police sent 25 migrant workers from the city to Rajasthan. This is the first bus to transport migrant workers from Mumbai to their village.

According to Mumbai Police, the 25 people are from Jalore district in Rajasthan. All of these individuals were residing in South Mumbai and are migrant workers. The workers had requested the Mumbai Police that they be sent to their village, due to which, the Police has issued a permit to go to Rajasthan. The fare of the bus will be paid by the workers themselves which is nearly Rs 6,000 per person.

The people travelling in this bus are from Jalore district. They all formed their own groups and sent an application to the police, after which they were given a permit.

Dharmendra Singh is from Jalore district of Rajasthan and was working at a cloth merchant's in South Mumbai but the work stopped due to the lockdown. Singh had applied to the MRA Marg police station after which the police arranged for a bus for him to go back to his village. Dharmendra Singh said that he was stuck in Mumbai due to the lockdown and is thankful to Mumbai Police.

Hansraj Chaudhary, who is from Jalore district, said, "I used to work at a stationery shop in Bora Bazar and the work stopped after the lockdown. There was no source of earning and it was causing problems."

DCP Zone 1 Sangram Singh Nishandar told mid-day, "These people applied to go to their village after which we gave them a permit. They got their own medical assistance and now they are going back to their village."

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Amid the rising number of coronavirus cases in the city, on Monday, Mumbai's Air Quality Index (AQI) stood in the poor category as the AQI dropped to 133, as per AQI India. The poor category of air quality in Mumbai is an indicator that such air quality can provide difficulty in breathing.

Air Quality Index (AQI) across different parts of Mumbai

According to AQI India, an AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 is moderate, 101-200 poor, 201-300 unhealthy, 301-400 severe and 401-500 is marked as hazardous. While Mumbai's overall air quality was poor, several parts of the city including Bandra (31 AQI), Worli (42 AQI), Powai (24 AQI), Kurla (44 AQI) reported good air quality. Sion, on the other hand reported AQI of 1094 which as per the AQI parameter is hazardous.

A snapshot of Air Quality Index (AQI) across different cities in India

In other cities of the country such as Delhi (83 AQI), Ahmedabad (90 AQI), Bengaluru (101 AQI) reported moderate air quality which is acceptable for healty adults but may pose a threat to senstive individuals as per the parameter reading.

Data sourced from aqi.in

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Call it red-tape or over-sensitivity about allowing non-essential shops to remain open in Mumbai amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but government agencies, especially the BMC, were apprehensive through most of Monday about allowing liquor shops to resume business even as thousands lined up for their favourite tipple since early morning.

The state government issued orders on Sunday that standalone retail liquor shops could do business in red, orange and green zones excluding containment areas between 10 am and 6 pm from Monday.

Following the state order, the State Excise Department's Mumbai city and suburban superintendents and district collectors came up with joint notifications a few hours before the 6 pm deadline and a little after 3.30 pm, some liquor shops opened, with some of them allowing only one bottle per customer.

A man with his liquor stock in Sion on Monday. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

However, the BMC hadn't made any announcement till 5 pm. Some of its assistance commissioners tweeted early morning that non-essentials shops (including liquor shops) should not be opened without the BMC nod.

Municipal Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi did not respond to text messages. When told about the chaos, Chief Secretary Ajoy Mehta assured to look into the matter. A senior BMC official said in the two video-conferences that Pardeshi held with state government bureaucrats, liquor shops were not discussed.

Meantime, Principal Secretary Bhushan Gagrani, in-charge of media relations for state government's COVID-19 mitigation, said in a press conference online that local authorities like municipal commissioners and district collectors are authorised to overrule the state's common guidelines under the powers vested in them by the Epidemic Diseases Act. But he said local authorities were told to issue separate orders elucidating the reasons behind stalling the state guideline. Nagpur and Aurangabad Collectors have specifically told state bosses that they won't allow liquor shops to reopen. Whereas, other collectors, who thought of allowing the measure, were prompt in circulating orders to retailers and other stakeholders.

A senior excise department official told mid-day that Greater Mumbai's case was different. "Here at least four agencies are involved in decision-making. We followed the state's orders and issued our own notifications that would also go to licensed retailers. BMC and city police are the other two agencies which have been working jointly in COVID-19 mitigation and they know the fight and its nuances for taking any further decisions," the officer said.

By late afternoon, some Excise Department officials had reached BMC headquarters to hand over the department's order and also seek information on containment areas. "It's a tricky situation that needs to be tackled in a foolproof process. Such decisions don't happen very quickly. The other side is that the shop operators might have their own difficulties like deputing healthy staff (50 per cent of the total strength) on counters. Shops might not have inventory and require new stock from wholesalers," he said, adding the business was likely to resume smoothly in a day or two, provided that the BMC gives a green signal.

6PM
Time by which liquor shops must shut

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Monday was a confusing mess with the BMC not issuing clear orders on the reopening of shops and liquor stores. Many ward officers did not allow any shops to open until orders came from the municipal commissioner and clarification on what shops can remain open on one street.

Wine shops in Dahisar were not allowed to reopen. "We haven't received any circular, guidelines from the headquarters. Until that happens, we can't allow non-essential or wine shops to open," said Sandhya Nandedkar, assistant commissioner of R North ward. In Dadar-Worli area, wine shops were closed. "There isn't any order from the BMC. The shops can't open without proper permissions," said Prakash Patankar, ex-corporator from Dadar.

A crowd outside a wine shop in Walkeshwar on Monday. Pic/Bipin Kokate

"The state's order said that not more than five shops can open on one road. How can we select the shops? Shop-owners who want to resume business should apply to us," said a senior BMC officer. But the BMC has not issued a circular regarding such applications. Even BMC officers were confused over action on wine shops, some of which were open throughout the day, without the corporation's order.

Shopkeepers exasperated
A Worli shop-owner said, "Whose orders are to be followed? There is a lot of confusion, we are already in a mess and what the government is doing is harassment."

"The new MHA notification is a good start to get the economy moving. Mumbai has rules apart from the state notification — of only opening five non-essential stores per lane. There is a requirement to get further clearances from local authorities," said Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO, Retailers Association of India.

People wait to buy liquor outside a shop in Mulund. Pic/Rajesh Gupta

Municipal chief Praveen Pardeshi was not available for comment.

Early birds get nothing
Wine shops across the city saw people queuing up right from 6 am on Monday, expecting to quickly procure the available stock. Amid confusion over the reopening, police eventually dispersed everyone. Queues were seen in Lalbaug, Parel, Kalachowkie, Matunga, Sion and Mahim.

On Monday morning, Sachin Jadhav, standing outside Circle wine shop in Matunga, said, "I have been without alcohol for 45 days. I am ready to consume it." Another shopper, Rajesh Pandit, said, "The shop has been closed for a month and a half. There is a fear that it will run out of stock very soon. Which is why I got up early in the morning."

People queue up to buy liquor in Vile Parle East. Pic/Rane Ashish

Quiet Bandra
In Bandra, most groceries and pharmacies operated as per usual. A couple of shops selling electronic items kept shutters half open. No stationery or hardware shops were open. An optician on Hill Road was among the few shops open to regular customers. Owner Piyush Chheda said he opened shop even though there isn't much clarity on rules. "Customers have been calling regarding their orders. It is an essential item. I opened the shop at 10:30 am and will close at 2:30 pm," said Chheda.

A garment store, Fascination, was open near Khar Pali Road. Owner Shiv Dang said, "We opened the shop at noon and will be open till 7 pm. We called only half the staffers who live nearby." Dang did not receive any communication from BMC.

H West ward officials said they haven't received orders from the BMC. "We are hoping to get directions from senior officials by the end of the day about which five shops may remain open. We will inform shop-owners accordingly," said an official.

While most wine shops were shut, Silver Coin Wines on Ambedkar Road opened and saw a crowd of at least 100, some of them without a mask.

Chaotic Mulund wine shops
In Mulund, shops opened in the morning but shut down around noon, with only pharmacies allowed to remain open. "We have been open all this while and our business remains unaffected. Though supply is limited to important medicines," said a pharmacist.

A liquor shop at Ambedkar Road, Bandra on Monday morning

Wine shops were the main attraction with complete chaos, long queues, no social distancing. Shops at Mulund check naka, LBS Road, Veena Nagar had long queues and crowds.

Grocers followed the usual specified timings. Milind Gala from Mulund East said, "Though all kinds of shops have been allowed to remain open, supply is limited." The limited timings also saw more crowds.

A few stationery vendors said there had been no orders from local civic officials or police on reopening. "There is too much confusion and we will end up losing our licence. Hence, we decided to remain closed," said Jayeshbhai from Mulund west.

Why open wine shops?
Mulund resident Keshav Madhukar said, "Though the easing of the lockdown is welcome, there seems to be confusion among heads of departments in implementing orders. There is no clarity on how things will work."

Another resident Gaurav Kumar said, "At the check naka in Mulund, there were crowds at liquor shops. Is this supposed to be a lockdown in a red zone?"

Another citizen Risshita Gada said, "Was it so important to open wine shops? How will social distancing be followed?"

Later in the day, BMC's T Ward tweeted clarifying that except for essential commodity shops, no other shops were allowed to open.

Mulund MLA Mihir Kotecha said, "I have put up details of which shops will remain open and which won't. I have also met around 140 housing society secretaries via video conferencing to discuss the way forward. If you need to step out, make a proper plan. List things up and fetch all of it in one go."

Borivli residents saddened
Residents of Borivli were rather disappointed as absolutely no wine shops were open. Among the non-essential shops allowed to open, only two- and four-wheeler mechanics, sweets and farsan shops and small stationary outlets which had photocopy machines were allowed to open. A few hardware and electronic repair shops were open, while groceries and pharmacies functioned as usual.

Residents also queued up outside wine shops early morning. "People started queuing up from 8.30-9 am. The crowd soon left as shops did not open. But people kept checking in throughout the day," said Jitesh Jain, who runs a grocery shop in I C Colony, where two to three wine shops are located nearby. "Looking at what has happened at other wine shops, it is good that the ones here were closed," said a customer, Harish Ganega who was in the queue at Jain's shop.

Other non-essential shop-owners remained confused. Dheeraj Purohit, owner of Purohit sweets and farsan shop outside Borivli station, said, "We opened today and will most likely shut by lunch time. We wanted to see how it works, whether social distancing is possible. There is similar confusion among several shop-owners which is why many are closed."

Mira Road groceries reopen
Grocery shops opened after 13 days in Mira Road and saw long queues. The Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) had imposed a complete lockdown from April 20 to May 2. Only milk booths and pharmacies were allowed to remain open for a few hours.

Other than groceries and bakeries, no other shops were allowed to open. Milk booths were open till 11 am and pharmacies till 9 pm.

MBMC allowed grocery and bakery shops to remain open from 9 am to 3 pm. Vegetable vendors are still not allowed on roads or in open spaces and MBMC has permitted only home delivery. "We bought enough groceries last month, but some items like tea powder, groundnuts are finished. How can we ask for home deliveries for such a small order?" said a customer in a queue at Shiv Shakti shop. Another woman said that while groceries were giving home delivery, shops selling various flours, spices and coconuts were closed.

Andheri comes alive
Andheri seemed lively and bustling since morning. Although not all wine shops were open, the ones that were, like Pinky Wines in Oshiwara, had serpentine queues stretching more than 200 metres. People even waited throughout the afternoon when the shop was closed for lunch. General stores had longer queues than usual.

There was a visible increase in the number of vehicles plying between Andheri and Juhu. Lokhandwala Market had numerous cars double parked on the road. Four bungalows too, was packed and bustling till around noon, but slowed down after cops began patrolling.

13
No. of days after which groceries opened in Mira Road

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The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been readying quarantine centres and acquiring hospitals for COVID-19 patients, but it seems it hasn't quite decided whom to let in. The 32-year-old wife of a COVID-19 positive patient from Dharavi has been running from pillar to post to get him to a hospital. The 35-year-old who requires dialysis, tested positive on May 1 but BMC officials allegedly advised her to quarantine him at home, as he is asymptomatic.

When she pointed out that they stay in a 180 sq ft house with senior citizen parents, they allegedly did not pay much heed. While the BMC maintains that asymptomatic patients are not hospitalised, the patient has become a potential threat not just to his family but to the whole SRA building with 91 flats, where they stay.

Neighbours and relatives of a COVID-19 positive person admitted to Sion Hospital being stamped. Pic/Suresh Karkera

"I repeatedly called the COVID-19 Helpline. They asked my husband's age and his other illnesses. But when they came to know he is asymptomatic, they told me to quarantine him at home. I told them we live in a 180 sq feet home with senior citizen parents, but they didn't pay attention," said the wife of the patient.

The patient needs to get dialysis done every three days from last year. "I don't know why they are doing this. Last week a patient was found in our building, and he also required dialysis. They took him to a hospital, but are refusing to take me. I am worried about my father and mother, who are senior citizens. In a house like this, how can we maintain physical distance?" the patient said.

"Home quarantine is not possible for him. The authorities should look into this matter and provide assistance. The family is also financially weak. The father of the patient, a former Indian Navy personnel, runs the house. Now they have approached the Mumbai police for help," said a family friend of the patient.

"Asymptomatic COVID-19 positive patients are not required to be admitted in a hospital. I don't have the details of this patient, but I will ask officials to inquire and we can also arrange for dialysis for him at JJ Hospital," said Assistant Municipal Commissioner G/North Ward Kiran Dighavkar. A BMC official said if the patient's conditions worsens, he will be admitted.

180
The area (in sq feet) of the house the man stays in with his wife and aged parents

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Eight residents of Panchsheel chawl in Govandi — who were classified as high-risk patients after they came in contact with a deceased 55-year-old woman, whose death was posthumously ruled as due to COVID-19 tested positive on Sunday evening.

These high-risk patients had been kept at a quarantine facility in Mahul over the weekend and after their results came, they were shifted to an isloation centre in Shivaji Nagar. "The reports came in yesterday (Sunday) at 6 pm while we were still in Mahul," one of the eight people who have tested positive said.

"All of us were classified as high-risk patients. We will have to stay here for the next 14 days. This place is much better than the quarantine facility in Mahul. There we would only get vada pav to eat and the place had water issues. The doctors here asked us what our symptoms, but not many of us have a fever. We have been allotted rooms here and two people can stay in one room," the patient added.

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Mulund's T ward saw the biggest spike in COVID-19 positive cases since March 2020 on Monday. There were 52 cases reported in 24 hours taking the number to 123. The number of containment zones has reached 33.

But, a major cause for concern is that the cases reported are from the slum pockets of Mulund West.

Mulund had comparatively kept the infection down till date.

There were 71 patients reported in Mulund till date, of which 52 are under treatment. There were 28 containment zones declared till now, of which 18 are active.

Authorities are on alert as Indira Nagar (19 cases), Ramgadh (15 cases) have slums. Rigorous testing and screening camps have been held in these areas.

"We had conducted camps to trace more patients, we have now received positive reports of 52 people in one day," said Assistant Municipal Commissioner (T ward) Kishor Gandhi.

According to T ward data, Amar Nagar found three new cases, Indira Nagar, 31 more cases and Ramgadh, 8 new cases in the last 24 hours. "The rising number in slum pockets is definitely worrisome, as they have narrow lanes and common toilets," said a health official on condition anonymity.

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Prohibitory orders which ban assembly of four or more people under Section 144 of the CrPC have been extended in Mumbai until May 17 because of the extension of the lockdown, said Pranaya Ashok, DCP Mumbai Police.

Mumbai has been declared as a red zone due to high number of coronavirus cases.

Read the circular

The order read, "We have extended section 144 of CrPC which restricts any public gathering."

All movement of people for all non-essential activities, except for medical reasons is prohibited between 8 pm to 7 am.

It has also been further decided that the social distancing norms (minimum of 6 feet of distance) shall be followed at all times.

The order came into force in the area under the control of the Commissioner of Police with effect from 12:01 am on May 4th and will end at 12 am on May 18th, unless withdrawn earlier.

Violators will be prosecuted under section 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code, he added.

(with inputs from PTI)

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On day 1 of the extended lockdown till May 17, Mumbai Police on Monday took to Twitter to share the importance of staying home amid the COVID-19 crisis. Giving a novel twist to one of the popular games during coronavirus lockdown, Mumbai Police latest meme inspired by Ludo struck a chord with netizens.

At times, it’s better to not try your luck. Staying at home is your best bet against Coronavirus. #GameOfLife #TakingOnCorona pic.twitter.com/v7KEmyjQic

— Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) May 4, 2020

While sharing the Ludo-inspired meme, Mumbai Police said, "At times, it's better to not try your luck. Staying at home is your best bet against novel coronavirus. #GameOfLife #TakingOnCorona." The latest post by Mumbai Police urged people to stay home and not to try their luck by venturing out amid the coronavirus crisis.

Salute To Our Corona Warriors 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏😊😊😊👏👏👏👏
A Huge Respect 🙏🙏🙏😊😊👏👏#IndiaSalutesCoronaWarriors

— Aaryen Tiwari (@AaryenTiwari) May 4, 2020

In the post, one can see tokens of all the four players inside the house with the COVID-19 virus occupying the place on the path of the Ludo board. While sharing the coronavirus twist Ludo game post with their followers, Mumbai Police sent a strong message showing how staying at home can be the only safe bet the COVID-19 epidemic.

Best example for current situation

— Pooja Chauhan (@PoojaCh39757719) May 4, 2020

Mumbai Police also put a hard hitting caption on the picture which read, "The safest place to be is IN #TakingOnCorona." Since being shared online, the post has garnered over 600 likes and about 5,000 re-tweets. Even Bollywood actress Parineeti Chopra retweeted the post with heart emoticons of various colours. Besides Parineeti, hundreds of users lauded Mumbai Police's unique take on creating awareness on the importance of being home amid lockdown.

pic.twitter.com/6yEFDqcHRi

— Parth (@PresidentPique) May 4, 2020

One user commented, "Best example for current situation," while another user said, "So creative my god!." A third user wrote, "Kudos to ur creative team!!!." Lauding the Mumbai Police a fourth user said, "We will prefer to staying at home only."

Here's how netizens reacted to Mumbai Police's twist to Ludo game:

Thank you very much to all the police system. No matter how big the crisis is from now on, only the police system will stand before us as God.

— Sandip Jondhale (@SandipJondhale6) May 4, 2020

So creative my god!!🍁😍🙏

— Sonam Upadhyay (@Sonam22Upa) May 4, 2020

At times, it’s better to not try your luck. Staying at home is your best bet against Coronavirus. #GameOfLife #TakingOnCorona pic.twitter.com/v7KEmyjQic

— Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) May 4, 2020

At times, it’s better to not try your luck. Staying at home is your best bet against Coronavirus. #GameOfLife #TakingOnCorona pic.twitter.com/v7KEmyjQic

— Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) May 4, 2020

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Days after nine constables from the Wadala police station tested positive for COVID-19, another 12 policemen of the JJ Marg Police Station have been found to be infected of the virus. As many as 48 cops, who came in contact with these 12 policemen, have been quarantined. Even a DCP of Mumbai Police has also been found tested positive for the pandemic.

The 12 infected cops include six police officers and six constables. According to the information received from the police, the infected policemen were deployed at checkpoints in the area within their jurisdiction. They have been admitted for treatment in hospitals near their homes. The treatment of these policemen is also being monitored by senior officers.

According to information from sources, the DCP who was tested positive for COVID-19 did not show any symptoms of the virus. He is currently undergoing treatment. The area the DCP is in charge of has containment zones that have been declared as red zones.

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