As Karnataka is grappling with the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic, the BJP government is mulling over tougher norms to contain the virus. A day before the night curfew across the seven cities in the state ends, a meeting of the Bengaluru MLAs, MLCs and MPs witnessed a stormy scene on Monday, with the Congress members opposing imposition of lockdown citing loss of livelihood to the poor people.
"We want to be a model state in COVID-19 management and want to unitedly fight the pandemic. The next two months will be very crucial," said Revenue Minister R. Ashok, who chaired the meeting along with Health Minister Dr K. Sudhakar. Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa joined the meeting virtually from the hospital, where he is undergoing treatment for COVID-19.
A final decision on lockdown, extending night curfew and clamping prohibitory orders (section 144) will be taken only after the all-party meeting scheduled for Tuesday at 4.30pm, which will be presided over by Governor Vajubhai Vala.
Earlier in the day, the Congress members took the BJP government to task over the acute shortage of oxygen, hospital beds and Remdesivir injections. The Congress members led by Krishna Byregowda alleged the government had done little to spruce up the healthcare system to control the pandemic.
Senior Congress leader Ramalinga Reddy stated the situation in Bengaluru was alarming and asked the government to arrange 25,000 hospital beds in Bengaluru alone. "Imposing prohibitory order will be more effective than a lockdown. We need to avoid crowding at marriage halls, community halls and markets. The night curfew may continue. There is a need to extend the vaccination drive in the slums," said Reddy.
Chamrajpet MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan, too, did not favour a lockdown saying it would distress the economically weaker sections. "Every MLA should be allocated 25 beds each, which can be given to the needy using their discretion. The government should bear the treatment cost of every COVID-19 patient," said Khan.
Congress MLC C.M. Ibrahim urged the government to create COVID-19 awareness among the people, saying, "The children are refusing to receive the parent's bodies fearing COVID-19. The doctors need to educate people and tell them the virus is not transmitted from a dead person.”
Briefing the media about the brainstorming by the elected representatives, Ashok said the suggestions given by the members would be conveyed to the chief minister.
"The members pointed out many problems faced by the people. There has been a shortage of oxygen only in the private hospitals that have no storage facility. There might have been delay in supplying cylinders. We have asked companies like Jindal to facilitate oxygen supply. We have got reports of blackmarketing of Remdesivir injections in the border districts and the police are already cracking down on such elements. Some private nursing homes have a shortage of Remdesivir as there are complaints of malpractice like the drug being diverted to the pharmacies," said Ashok.
Admitting that the private hospitals were yet to hand over 50 per cent of their beds for COVID-19 patients as stipulated by the government, Ashok said, "Private sector has handed over only 10 per cent of their beds and within a week, they will be handing over 60 per cent of their beds for COVID-19 patients. A major concern is the asymptomatic patients occupying the hospital beds out of panic. We will be shifting these asymptomatic patients to COVID-19 care centres. The hospitals will be setting up COVID-19 care centres in the nearby hotels to free up oxygen beds in the hospitals."
Referring to hassles of securing admission to the hospital causing late admission and delayed treatment, Ashok said, "The BU (Bengaluru Urban) code is a number allotted to every patient who tests positive for the coronavirus and wants to get admitted to a hospital in Bengaluru Urban district. Delay in generation of the BU code in the BBMP COVID-19 war room has resulted in late admission of the patients. We have instructed the officials to generate a code within six hours."
