MAHARASHTRA Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has written a letter to the Centre, urging to consider the COVID-19 pandemic as natural calamity, so that the Government can use the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to provide financial assistance to the affected people. All State Disaster Management Acts have been formed as part of the central disaster management law; hence the State needs the Union Government’s permission to use the SDRF for helping the pandemic-hit people, a Government official said.

 

 

 

 

As of now, flood, lightning incidents, heavy rainfall where there is loss of property or livelihood fall under the category of natural calamity and monetary compensation is provided to the affected people. In the letter, the Chief Minister also said that the number of active caseload of COVID-19 in the State is expected to double in the next 15 days. Maharashtra is expecting its active caseload to reach 11.9 lakh by April 30, compared to the current active caseload of 5.64 lakh, Thackeray said on Wednesday in the letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

 

He also said, the medical oxygen requirement in the State is projected to reach 2,000 metric tonnes per day by April-end from the present consumption of 1,200 MT per day. Citing logistical hurdles in the transportation of liquid medical oxygen from neighbouring States, Thackeray also sought permission under the National Disaster Management Act to airlift oxygen from steel plants in eastern and southern parts of the country. Medical-grade oxygen is used for the treatment of critical COVID-19 patients and in other cases of respiratory diseases. Maharashtra has approached neighbouring States for medical oxygen supply amid the COVID-19 surge, but they have expressed their inability due to its high demand there, Health Minister Rajesh Tope said on Wednesday. Thackeray on Tuesday said that there is a shortage of medical oxygen and the Centre should help supply it for coronavirus patients in the State by using Air Force planes.