हिंदी
Expresses deep concern over the unprecedented spike in Corona epidemic in Punjab
Jalandhar, August 12
Senior Leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab and Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema, while expressing deep concern over the spread of the corona epidemic in major cities of the state, said the overbearing attitude of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu had been wreaking havoc with the lives of the people of Punjab fighting the big battle against the pandemic.
Harpal Singh Cheema interacted with scribes here on Wednesday on the issue of the corona epidemic. Others who were present on the occasion were Dr. Shiv Dayal Mali Sanjeev Sharma, Advocate Kashmir Singh Malhi, Kartar Singh, Rajwinder Kaur, Lakhvir Singh Lakha among others.
Cheema said that the unprecedented spike in the cases in some major cities of Punjab, including Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Patiala and Mohali, et al was worrying, while the condition of the government hospitals and corona care centers was far from being satisfactory. He said it was a matter of shame for the government that patients in a Bathinda facility had to climb rooftop to ventilate their ire against the mismanagement and lack of facilities, including food, while eight had to run away from the centre for the same reasons.
The LoP said in Punjab where the number of new cases and deaths due to corona had been increasing rapidly for the last 10 days, while the recovery rate had been at 65 per cent, which was quite disappointing. He said that corona testing was only 0.18 per cent of the total population of Punjab, which spoke of the poor arrangements of the government to combat the killer virus.
Cheema said the situation was getting out of control with the Chief Minister himself predicting the peak of Corona in September, which, he said, was a cause of grave concern.
Cheema said the AAP had suggested to CM Amarinder Singh and Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu to replicate the Delhi model in the state, but had instead ridiculed the same owing to their arrogant and overbearing attitude, saying the Kejriwal government in Delhi had succeeded in controlling the corona with recovery rate at 91 per cent.
Cheema said the front-line Corona warriors, including the doctors, nurses, medical staff and cleaners had been left with no choice but to raise a pitch against the government apathy, saying the Chief Minister, Health Minister and others who mattered addressed their demands. He said the government should mull on doubling their special allowances, regularisation of their jobs, new recruitments, and ramping up infrastructure and facilities at hospitals and welfare of the employees.
