No new lockdown in Maharashtra in coming days: Health Minister

New Delhi: No new lockdown will be imposed in Maharashtra in the coming days but all residents should continue to follow safety protocols, said state health minister Rajesh Tope on Friday. 

“There is no possibility of fresh lockdown in the near future. I appeal to people to avoid crowding while celebrating the Ganesh festival. The celebration should be simple," Tope said. 

“The government has been issuing various guidelines and they should be followed all the time," he added. 

This comes after Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar expressed concern over people letting their guard down against Covid-19 in rural areas.

He also urged citizens not to put the state government in a position where it has to shut everything in the event of a third wave of the pandemic.

Pawar said the Centre has already cautioned all the states, citing the high number of cases in Kerala and Maharashtra.

"Unfortunately, in rural areas, some people are becoming lax. They are not scared of coronavirus. They don't use masks, don't follow physical distancing, and they have assumed that everything (Covid-19 pandemic) is over. This has led to rise in infections," Pawar said.

He said while the chief minister has appealed to people from time to time, some people politicise the issue and resort to celebrating festivals.

"All this should stop somewhere. People should not put the state government and administrations in a position where they have to close everything if the third wave hits," he appealed.