In a major operation, the Maharashtra police raided the factory in Jalgaon district and seized piles of discarded face masks, and busted the factory making mattresses using such piles of discarded masks instead of using cotton or other materials.
The incident has triggered health concerns after the matter came to light and also a case has been registered against the factory owner has been filed at Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) police station in Jalgaon, around 400 kilometers northeast of state capital Mumbai.
Police said they have initiated a probe into the incident. The police raid at the factory comes following a tip-off to police about the unit making mattresses using used masks, according to the authorized source.
“When the officials visited the premises of the factory in Kusumba village of MIDC, they found a mattress being stuffed with used masks. A case was registered against the factory owner, Amjad Ahmed Mansoori. The police are now probing the involvement of others in the racket,” the report quoted Additional Superintendent of Police Chandrakant Gawali as saying.
Later, the police set aflame the piles of masks as per the laid down norms. With the massive rise in COVID-19 cases in the country especially in Maharashtra, mask production has been ramped up across the country compared to last year.
The on-going coronavirus pandemic has compounded the country’s already stressed waste management system. Between June and September 2020, the country generated over 18,000 tonnes of Covid-19 related bio-medical waste.
In a meeting on Wednesday, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray asked district collectors to enforce the restrictions strictly and take stern action against those who violate the rules.
On the same, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has clarified that some categories of essential workers will remain exempt from the restrictions that have been imposed since Wednesday night. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 have been imposed till May 1, and no person will be allowed in a public place without a valid reason, while top bureaucrats and police officers counselled against “excessive” action. Clarify further, All establishments, public spaces, activities and services will remain closed, except for essential services that will remain open between 7 am and 8 pm on working days.
Entertainment industry will remain closed, and only 25 people will be allowed at marriages. Public transport, including trains and bus services, and essential services like groceries, vegetable shops, fruit vendors, dairies, bakeries, confectioneries, all types of food outlets and public utilities, will be open.
Approximately 2 lakh police personnel will be on the streets to enforce the curfew. An additional force of 13,200 home guards and 22 companies of State Reserve Police Force, including three companies for Mumbai and two for Pune, will be deployed as per requirement.
