If you ever thought that figures can put the fear of God in you, then this is one such data. As per statistics provided by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), by the end of July, Delhi will have 5.5 lakh corona-positive cases.
Addressing the press after the meeting of the DDMA which was chaired by Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Anil Baijal, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that till 15 June, there will be 44,000 Covid-19 positive cases and there would be a need for 6,600 beds. “We would hit one lakh cases and would require 15,000 beds by 30 June. Till 15 July, the cases would reach 2.5 lakh and bed requirement would be 33,000 and by the end of July, there will be 5.5 lakh Covid-19 positive cases and bed requirement would be 80,000,” Sisodia said.
The meeting was also to discuss if there was community transmission of Covid-19 in the national capital.
Sisodia put the ball on the Centre’s court regarding questions on Delhi’s “community spread” of the disease and once again the issue of whether people from other states should be treated in Delhi hospitals was raised in this meeting with the Lieutenant Governor. “We asked the Lieutenant Governor to make an assessment of how many cases of corona would come from outside in the coming days. They had no answer. Everyone agreed that by 30 June, 15,000 beds will be needed, by 15 July, 33,000 beds and by 31 July, 80,000 beds will be required. If this starts from tomorrow and people also keep coming in from outside, who will take responsibility for it? In view of this, we asked him to reconsider his decision, but the Lieutenant Governor refused to change his decision,” Sisodia said.
After the DDMA meeting, all leaders of the Kejriwal government objected to why the Lieutenant Governor had ordered treatment of people of other states in Delhi when the cases are increasing in Delhi every day. In response to what Manish Sisodia had said, L-G Anil Baijal, in a statement, said: “In the meeting, the L-G clarified that he had reversed the order of the Delhi government as it violated the constitutional rights of equality and right to life which includes the right to health. A similar directive issued by the GNCTD to discriminate in providing healthcare facilities to patients based on their residence was struck by Delhi High Court. L-G is aware of the need to ramp up medical facilities. Even in today’s meeting, ideas of use of spaces like Indira Gandhi stadium, Tyagraj Stadium, JLN stadium and Pragati Maidan to make large makeshift medical facilities were discussed.”
An all-party meeting of the Lieutenant Governor was held with leaders of the AAP, the BJP, the Congress as well as the NCP, the CPI and the BSP. The meeting, which lasted for about two hours at the Lieutenant Governor’s residence, was joined by Sanjay Singh from AAP, Adesh Gupta from BJP and Anil Chaudhary from Congress. The L-G sought advice from all political parties on opening of school, malls and metro services.
While the APP asked the L-G to present a plan for Delhi in view of the growing number of cases, the Congress demanded Rs 10,000 as compensation to the infected families. The BJP, on the other hand, questioned the availability of beds for testing and treatment in Delhi hospitals
Adesh Gupta, Delhi President of the BJP, said, “Testing for corona should be carried out as much as possible and the system in hospitals should be increased. This will provide the right direction in fighting corona.”
AAP MP Sanjay Singh said, “The decisions taken by the Delhi government to correct the situation in Delhi were very correct, but the BJP government does not seem to agree with lessening trouble for the people of Delhi.”
Meanwhile, the Covid-19 test report of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is out and he has tested negative.