Maharashtra: Districts worried over influx from cities could spread virus

A number of Maharashtra districts have expressed concern over the state Home departments decision to issue travel passes to those who wish to return home during lockdown, saying the influx in rural areas from cities could spread COVID-19 if guidelines are not followed.

Administrations of districts like Kolhapur, Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Solapur, Nanded, among others, are worried about such a situation.

Kolhapur Collector Daulat Desai, in a video conference with Pune divisional commissioner on Sunday, said if people coming in large numbers do not follow the institutional or home quarantine orders and skip COVID-19 testing, it could harm the local population.
"The influx could spread the coronavirus. There should be strict instructions to people leaving cities like Mumbai and Pune that they will have to comply with the mandatory procedures," he said.

Minister of State for Home Satej Patil has also expressed similar concern."A number of people carried the coronavirus infection to Kolhapur in last some days. We need to take extra precautions while dealing with the arrival of people and contain spread of the disease," he said on Sunday.

The state Home department on Sunday said it has issued around 3.69 lakh passes to residents of Maharashtra so far to allow them to travel to their hometowns.