Maharashtra COVID-19 curbs: Industrialists welcome 'balanced' norms but urge CM to rethink e-commerce restriction

Rajiv Bajaj (REUTERS/Anindito Mukherjee)

Industrialists welcomed the Maharashtra government's new stricter curbs aimed at containing the virus. Sanjiv Bajaj, chairman & managing director of Bajaj Finserv welcomed the order, while Harsh Goenka, Chairman of RPG Group, urged businessmen to be 'considerate'.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on April 13 announced curfew-like restrictions on public movement over the next 15 days. The CM announced a ban on the movement of people for non-essential works till May 1. The new norms build on the existing weekend and night curfew in the state.

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Taking to Twitter, Bajaj said, "Thank you Maha govt for a balanced set of restrictions announced by Hon. CM yesterday in these tough times."

Goenka said that the chain (of COVID-19) "has to be broken".

The chain has to be broken! With no hospital beds and shortage of medical essentials, I welcome the #maharashtralockdown. Life and livelihood have to be simultaneously protected. I urge all businessmen to be considerate towards their employees and protect their interests.

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— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) April 13, 2021

"With no hospital beds and shortage of medical essentials, I welcome the #maharashtralockdown. Life and livelihood have to be simultaneously protected," he tweeted.

Read | Maharashtra to tighten COVID restrictions post 8 pm from April 14; bus, locals-only for essential workers: Uddhav Thackeray

The RPG Group chairman urged businessmen to be "considerate towards their employees and protect their interests."

Disappointed with restrictions on e-commerce deliveries, Vidit Aatrey, the founder and CEO of Meesho, urged the government to reconsider.

Read: Lockdown-like curbs in Maharashtra from today: Here are all your questions answered

"At a time when consumers will hesitate to buy offline, small businesses look to e-commerce to keep food on the table for their families. Banning Ecommerce (which is safe) at this time, will be soul-crushing for all SMEs in Maharashtra," he said.

The state government has restricted e-commerce deliveries to only essential goods till May 1.

Speaking to CNBC TV-18, Uday Kotak, MD and CEO of Kotak Mahindra Bank had earlier said that public gatherings of more than 10 people are putting people at risk. "Put down a simple rule – no gathering of any nature whatsoever of more than 10 people. Just put it in place across the country," he had said.

He also requested the state governments to keep factories open. “Factories are not a danger,” he said.

The announcement of the new curbs came on a day when Maharashtra recorded 60,212 fresh coronavirus cases and 281 fatalities.

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