State orders malls to stop sales

The Maharashtra government has asked all malls and supermarkets not to announce sales or discounts to attract crowds during the festive season. The state cabinet has directed district collectors to take action against establishments which don’t follow the government’s directive.

The state accounts for 16 of the 21 H1N1 deaths in the country, with worst-hit Pune reporting 13 fatalities so far. Two women, Archana Kolhe, 37, and Bharati Goel, 75, and a man,  Prabhakar Vairagar, 44, died at Sassoon Hospital on Thursday. Reports of a nine-month-old boy, who died late on Wednesday, also confirmed H1N1 infection.
Pune also saw 43 fresh cases on Thursday, the highest in the country.

But in Mumbai, civic officials say, the percentage of cases testing positive from among those screened everyday has come down from 10% to 2.27% — 18 fresh cases were reported on Thursday.

Of the 2,962 persons screened, only one was admitted, at MT Agrawal hospital on Thursday. Throat swabs of 226 were sent for testing at Haffkine.

The government has already closed schools, colleges and multiplexes in Mumbai and Pune.

Health minister Dr Rajendra Shingane said after the state government ordered closure of schools and multiplexes, malls were expected to restrict crowds on their premises. But they have been advertising about sales and discounts to attract consumers, drawing huge crowds, he said.

“District collectors will issue them notices to stop such endorsement immediately; and in case they fail to follow, action will be taken against them,” Shingane said.

He said the decision about the extending the closure of school and multiplexes will be taken in due course.

Mumbai suburban district collector Vishwash Patil said malls and stores have been “orally” told not to attract crowds by offering discounts. He said the government will keep “a close eye” on such places for the next two days and take action, if necessary, under the Bombay Police Act.

With inputs from Pandurang Mhaske & Gitesh Shelke