Haryana Congress president Kumari Selja on Saturday accused the State government of failing to control the situation arising out of COVID-19 pandemic and demanded that the government disclose the number of ventilators it has received from the Centre under the PM CARES fund.
“COVID-19 cases are increasing rapidly in the State. The figures of those infected and deaths are being hidden. Today, the villages of the State have become the strongholds of corona. There is a huge shortage of doctors and health workers in the hospitals and people are not getting proper treatment,” she said at a press conference.
Ms. Selja said corona-related medicines and oxygen are being black-marketed in the State. “Patients are neither getting timely oxygen nor beds. There is a huge lack of ventilators and the government is sitting blindfolded,” she alleged.
“In the last few days cases of black fungus disease have been reported in the State. Black marketing of medicines used in the treatment of black fungus disease has also started from the last one week. While the corona epidemic in Haryana is continuously increasing, the vaccination campaign is going on at a very slow pace,” she said.
Ms. Selja demanded that corona patients get free medicines and treatment and everybody in the State be vaccinated free of cost.
“The Haryana government should bear this expenditure. The government should also disclose how many ventilators have been given to Haryana out of PM Cares Relief Fund and where they are and in what condition,” she said.
Separately, Congress MLA Amit Sihag accused the State government of gross mismanagement in rural areas in providing irrigation and procuring rabi crops. He quipped that the government seemed to specialise in mismanagement.
Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar meanwhile said the Central and State governments are strenuously working towards controlling the pandemic and delivering their best.
Mr. Khattar said there is bound to be divergence of opinion in an open society. “But this is the time to forget all differences and make a united effort in combating COVID,” he said, urging social organisations and political parties to fight together.
Referring to the ongoing farmers’ agitation against Centre’s farm laws, he said the farmers’ organisations can do the agitation for their demands after the situation gets normal.
“In the first wave of COVID, where maximum 3,000 cases came up daily in the State but this time around 16,000 cases are coming on the daily basis. Due to this, the health system initially faced a massive pressure. Along with doctors, beds, there was also a crisis of oxygen. But the situation was soon brought under control. At present, the State is getting 282 tonnes of oxygen. Oxygen is being supplied to the homes of needy patients in collaboration with about 350 organisations. Essential items like beds, concentrators and ventilators are being contributed by social organisations,” he said.
