BHUBANESWAR: Deputy leader of Opposition Bishnu Charan Sethi on Monday hit out at the government for faulty Covid management in the State.
Addressing a meeting of MLAs, presided over by Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro, Sethi questioned the State government’s repeated announcements that only border districts are witnessing a surge in positive cases.
“Then why is Malkangiri district witnessing less infections and Khurda and Cuttack districts topping the chart everyday,” he asked and alleged that the Covid management of the government is lacking on several fronts.
Pointing towards large number of cases being reported from Bhubaneswar and Cuttack daily, Sethi said something is seriously wrong. He also highlighted the chaos in vaccination and medical facilities in the State.
“Everywhere there is shortage of ICU beds, ventilators and medicines,” he said.
Leader of Congress Legislature Party Narasingh Mishra also raised the issue of shortage of ventilators and ICU beds. Besides, shortage of doctors and medical facilities have led to worsening of the situation at many places including Balangir district, he added.
Only four MLAs were allowed to address the meeting. Chief Secretary Suresh Mahapatra and Additional Chief Secretary in Health and Family Welfare department PK Mahapatra briefed the MLAs about the Covid situation and steps taken by the government. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Bikram Keshari Arukha and his Health and Family Welfare counterpart Naba Kishore Das also spoke.