BMC opts for e-tenders after receiving criticism by the BJP on food deals

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is said to invite e-tenders after receiving criticism from the BJP over the procurement of 1.95 lakh food packets via an e-quotation. In the midst of the coronavirus outbreak, the BMC has been distributing food packets to the impoverished.

Prabhakar Shinde, member of the BJP, earlier criticizing the BMC had said that in the name of coronavirus, corruption is brewing within the civic body. On the other hand, the BMC has issued a list of containment zones in Mumbai. According to the civic body, there are 750 containment zones in Mumbai whereas 5,875 buildings in the city have been sealed by BMC at present.

The Maharashtra government earlier in the week had officially announced the extension of the lockdown in the entire state till the midnight of July 31. This comes a day after Uddhav Thackeray, the CM of Maharashtra, stated that it was not possible to completely remove the lockdown post-June 30. Wearing face covers or masks, maintaining social distancing, restricted gatherings, and other measures shall continue to prevail.

The civic body had also faced a lot of criticism regarding the reporting of deaths. To tackle this issue, BMC has now come up with a new directive for reporting COVID-19 deaths. The civic-body has directed all hospitals to declare the backlog of the coronavirus toll by the end of June. In addition to this, all hospitals starting July 1 will have to declare all deaths pertaining to the coronavirus in the 48 hours.

As the number of coronavirus cases increases in the country, people are still required to observe social distancing, keep oneself clean and sanitized and to preferably not step out of the house in spite of the lockdown relaxations. It is also mandatory to wear a mask while walking outside the house. Even though markets, shops and parlours have resumed operations, Mumbai Police has clarified that the place should be reached within 2 km. People should not be out on the streets aimlessly, and should, therefore, remain restricted to their areas.