Coronavirus outbreak: Mahindra proposes lockdown for a few weeks

Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra on Sunday proposed lockdown for the next few weeks, expressing concerns over reports that India is likely to have already reached stage-3 of coronavirus transmission.

He also offered the facilities of the group’s hospitality arm as medical care facilities while the group will work on how its manufacturing facilities can make ventilators.

“Going by various reports from epidemiologists, it is highly likely that India is already in stage-3 of transmission. Cases could rise exponentially with millions of casualties, putting a huge strain on medical infrastructure,” Mahindra said in a series of tweets.

He further said, “A lockdown over the next few weeks will help flatten the curve and moderate the peak pressure on medical care. However, we need to create scores of temporary hospitals and we have a scarcity of ventilators.”

Sharing plans of the group which has presence across sectors ranging from farm equipment to aerospace, he said, “To help in the response to this unprecedented threat, we at the Mahindra Group will immediately begin work on how our manufacturing facilities can make ventilators.”

Mahindra further said, “At Mahindra Holidays, we stand ready to offer our resorts as temporary care facilities.”

The group’s project team stands ready to assist the government and the Army in erecting temporary care facilities, he said adding that the Mahindra Foundation will create a fund to assist the hardest hit in our value chain (small businesses and the self-employed).

Mahindra also said he will contribute his 100 percent salary to the fund and add more over the next few months while encouraging “associates to voluntarily contribute”.

“I urge all our various businesses to also set aside contributions for those who are the hardest hit in their ecosystems,” he said.