BMC Chief Praveen Pardeshi Transferred Amid Rising COVID-19 Cases

MUMBAI: Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi on Friday has been transferred amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the city. He will be replaced by Iqbal Singh Chahal.

Pardeshi has been transferred to the Urban Development Department as additional chief secretary.

According to local media reports, Pardeshi was close to former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and was his personal secretary during the CM's tenure. Pardeshi was often referred to as "Second CM".

Mumbai continues to be the hub of COVID-19 cases in the country with confirmed 11,394 cases. Maharashtra is the worst affected state in India with nearly 18,000 recorded COVID-19 cases, highest in the country. At least 694 people succumbed to death since the pandemic outbreak.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope said that Mumbai will see a sharp decline in coronavirus cases in the next 15 to 20 days.

Lav Agarwal, joint secretary, health ministry visited Mumbai today to take a stock of the situation in the state. Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray also met the central team and other ward officers to discuss future action.

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