'Lockdowns will be debilitating': Anand Mahindra suggests way to curb COVID spread in Maharashtra

Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra said that imposing further lockdown in the "nerve-centre of the country's economic activity" will prove to be debilitating. He said that over half of the new daily cases are in Maharashtra and lockdowns could prove to be detrimental to India's economic activity. He said that there is another viable solution to curb the spread of coronavirus in the state -- emergency permission to vaccinate everyone who's willing to take it, irrespective of their age group.

"Over half the new daily cases are in Maharashtra.The state is the nerve-centre of the country's economic activity & more lockdowns will be debilitating. Maharashtra needs emergency permission to vaccinate EVERY willing person. No shortage of vaccines," said Mahindra tagging PMO and Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan in the tweet.

Mahindra's tweet comes after Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray warned hotels, restaurants and malls to follow COVID protocols. He said not following the same would force the government to announce a lockdown, further hampering business. The warnings came during a virtual meeting with representatives of these industries on Saturday.

"When these sectors were allowed to reopen in October, there were some norms laid down for their functioning. They were followed for some time. But now, in many places, it is being noticed that no guidelines are being followed," he said adding that the economic cycle has been revived. "If everyone cooperates, the infection can be prevented, and we are not forced to impose strict restrictions like a lockdown," Thackeray said.

Maharashtra has been seeing around 15,000 cases per day for over a week. Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur and Thane are the worst-affected in the state.

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