People throng the Juhu beach in Mumbai even as Maharashtra continues to see a spike in Covid-19 cases.
Maharashtra recorded as many as 27,918 coronavirus cases on Tuesday, taking the tally of infections in the state to 27,73,436, the death toll increased to 54,422 with 139 new fatalities.
As many as 23,820 patients were discharged from hospitals, taking the number of recovered patients to 23,77,127. The number of active cases stands at 3,40,542.
The state's recovery rate is 85.71 per cent, while the fatality rate is 1.96 per cent.
Currently, 16,56,697 people are in home quarantine and 17,649 in institutional quarantine in the state.
ALSO READ | Lockdown like steps needed to be considered: Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray tells officials
Lockdown talk divides MVA leaders
The constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government spoke in different voices on Tuesday on the need for a fresh lockdown in Maharashtra with some leaders of the NCP and the Shiv Sena questioning the effectiveness of such strategy against the epidemic.
NCP leader and Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said imposing a lockdown is the last option for the state government.
Notably, in view of the rise in fresh COVID-19 cases, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had on Sunday asked officials to prepare a plan for implementation of a lockdown which will have a minimum impact on the economy on the recommendation of the state COVID-19 task force.
"Nobody wants a lockdown, not even chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. However, it is the last option before us. There is nothing wrong in considering the lockdown but it would create a lot of problems," Tope told reporters.
Tope's cabinet colleague and NCP leader Nawab Malik, questioned the effectiveness of a lockdown in arresting the spread of coronavirus infection.
"Imposition of a lockdown will affect the people adversely. We do not want people to suffer," he said.
State PWD (public undertakings) Minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde, whose party heads the tripartite government, also comprising the Congress, said the measures like a lockdown are not going to help anyone.
"We have realised that wearing a mask and maintaining hygiene is the only way to curb the spread of the virus," he said.
Reiterating the BJP's opposition to any lockdown, its state unit president Chandrakant Patil said the state government should first make financial provisions for hawkers and labourers, who he said will suffer the most if a lockdown is clamped again.
ALSO READ | Focus on curbing mortality, not lockdown: Mahindra tells Maharashtra
