Oppn parties in BMC question Mayor over Covid-19 'third wave' claim

Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar's claim on arrival of a "third wave" of COVID-19 in the city found few takers with opposition parties in the Shiv Sena-ruled BMC on Wednesday taking a dig at her and questioning the basis of the assertion.

Pednekar on Tuesday said a third wave of the pandemic had already arrived, only to issue a clarification a few hours later. "Third wave is not coming, it is already here," she had told reporters at a function. Later, her office issued a press statement saying what she meant was that the third wave of COVID-19 was on the "threshold of Mumbai". A day later, Pednekar came under attack from opposition leaders in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Slamming the Mayor, BJP leader Bhalchandra Shirsat said the ruling Shiv Sena in the BMC wants COVID-19 waves to "loot" by giving various civic contracts. "They want waves (of COVID-19) for loot," Shirsat said and added that there is no disagreement over the fact that everyone should be alert and take adequate care to curb the coronavirus spread. Ravi Raja, the opposition leader in the BMC and a Congress corporator, sought to know on what scientific basis the mayor has claimed that the third wave has arrived in Mumbai. "Don't know what scientific advice the Mayor has got to make such a statement, but as per my discussion with experts, the third wave has not yet arrived in Mumbai," Raja said. The second wave of the pandemic started in the metropolis in late March.