Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 11 Jan, 2022 11:45 AM
New Delhi, Jan 11 (IANS) Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday reiterated that the Delhi government is fully prepared to deal with any kind of problem posed by the Covid-19 situation. However, it will not impose a lockdown.
"We are fully prepared. We have the ability to extend up to 37,000 beds if necessary. Our 37,000-bed capacity has yet to be utilised. If necessary, we may prepare 10000-11000 ICUs in Delhi by preparing 37,000 beds. However, there isn't much of a need for that right now," the CM said in a statement after reviewing the Covid preparedness at the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital on Tuesday afternoon.
He added: "Today, I held a meeting with Dr Suresh Kumar, Director, LNJP and the entire team at LNJP Hospital. I came here to take stock of the Covid preparations. It treated the highest number of patients successfully. More than 22,000 patients have returned home after receiving treatment at this facility."
Speaking on the Covid-19 restrictions, he said, "I would like to convey to them that these restrictions were imposed under compulsion. I understand that we have to maintain a very delicate balance at this time. On the one hand, it concerns the employment of people, and if restrictions are imposed, people's jobs will be jeopardised. On the other hand, if we do not impose limitations, your health and life will be jeopardised."
Talking about the restrictions in the areas surrounding Delhi he said, "This I will appeal to the central government. We also requested the central government representatives who attended the DDMA (Delhi Disaster Management Authority) meeting that imposing limitations simply in Delhi would not work; you would have to include the entire NCR. They have assured that these limits would be implemented throughout the NCR."
Delhi reported a 25 per cent surge in Covid-19 cases after recording 19,166 fresh cases. With this, the infection tally has climbed to 15,68,896. Meanwhile, the city has recorded 17 Covid deaths on the second consecutive day, pushing the death toll to 25,177.
Sisodia, who is also the nodal minister for Covid management in the national capital, stated that no one can deny that Delhi grappled with an oxygen shortage during the peak of the second wave of the Covid pandemic (April-May) and several people died due to oxygen shortage.
Speaking at the meeting, Sonia Gandhi said, "Monsoon session of Parliament was a complete washout entirely due to the government's obstinate and arrogant unwillingness to discuss and debate urgent issues of public importance."
The Chief Secretary said the 300-bed state of the art hospital will act as a tertiary care centre for the entire northern region, comprising Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh.
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation's Subject Expert Committee has granted Zydus Cadila's three-dose vaccine emergency use authorisation in India. The vaccine can be administered to people aged 12 and above.
The Punjab Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau has arrested former state Director General of Police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini in a fraud case pertaining to the sale of land in 2020 and is likely to be produced in a court on Thursday.
Rahul Gandhi has been critical of the Centre and has been raising his voice over several issues. He has criticised the Modi-led government over the fuel price hike, alleged Pegasus snooping row, three farm laws and several others in recent times.
