Former Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy said multiple orders on lockdown restrictions were creating chaos and confusion, and called for clarity and coordination from various departments.
In a video message, Mr. Narayanasamy said a succession of lockdown orders had come out in different forms, causing confusion among merchants, traders, fleet operators and others.
He asked the Centre to ensure that the oxygen requirements of hospitals, including private facilities in Puducherry, were met before diverting supplies to other States.
He alleged that the Centre had, without the knowledge of the Puducherry government, directed the diversion of oxygen cylinders, produced within the Union Territory, to other States. Such a measure would hinder hospitals in Puducherry from meeting patients’ requirements, he claimed.
Given the ferocity of the second wave of COVID-19, it was imperative that the administration chalked out a concerted strategy, in association with hospitals including Jipmer, the former Chief Minister said.
He said several facilities created by the previous government remained unutilised in hospitals. Ventilators donated by several voluntary organisations were also gathering dust in hospitals and steps should be taken to use them, keeping in mind the spurt in their demand, he said.
The lack of awareness on the part of the people in observing safety norms and the failure on the part of parties and their candidates during campaigning for the April 6 Assembly election were driving the surge in cases, Mr. Narayanasamy said.
He called for joint efforts by the government, hospitals and health administrators to check the spread of COVID-19.
