BHOPAL: Discussions on the rising threat and spread of coronavirus dominated the Madhya Pradesh cabinet meeting in Bhopal on Sunday – triggering speculations about adjournment of Vidhan Sabha’s budget session starting from Monday.
Though Chief Minister Kamal Nath, Public Relations Minister PC Sharma and Speaker Narmada Prasad Prajapati ruled out the adjournment of the budget session, Animal Husbandry minister Lakhan Singh’s statement about a possible adjournment of the Vidhan Sabha in the wake of COVID-19 virus threat triggered the speculations.
"Though other state assemblies including Odisha, Rajasthan, Kerala and Chhattisgarh have already adjourned ongoing Vidhan Sabha sessions due to the COVID-19 threat, there isn’t possibility of such development taking place in the MP Vidhan Sabha on Monday," said Public Relations Minister PC Sharma.
The Assembly Speaker said the Corona Virus threat is a serious issue, owing to which everyone coming to the Vidhan Sabha will be rendered safety masks and would be allowed to enter respective galleries only after cleaning hands with sanitizers, which too will be provided in the Vidhan Sabha premises.
Earlier, in the Cabinet meeting it was informed that all possible efforts are being made by the Madhya Pradesh government to stop the spread of coronavirus. All schools, colleges, cinema halls, marriage halls, public libraries, water parks, gyms, swimming pools, anganwadis, etc. have been closed till further orders. The system of biometric attendance of employees in offices has been closed.
All cultural programmes, public programmes, official visits and training programmes have been postponed. A meeting of peace committees up to block level will be organized to make people aware to stop the spread of coronavirus through local public representatives and religious leaders.
Religious leaders have been urged to limit organizing religious ceremonies. Along with this, legal measures have been taken to stop gatherings of more than 20 people. The state government has told to make additional financial provision besides special preparedness to deal with disaster situation.
Discussion was held on the preventive measures taken against the spread of COVID-19 in the state, country and global level following the possibilities of visits of members of the Assembly and others to the capital Bhopal during the Assembly Budget session. According to Public Relations Minister, the chief medical health officers (CMHOs) in all 52 districts have been given magisterial powers to deal with the threat.
Congress MLAs screened for COVID-19
In a related development, the 80-odd Congress and independent MLAs who returned from Jaipur to Bhopal on Sunday were screened for the deadly virus infection by team of doctors at the hotel where all these legislators are housed. Similar tests could be carried out for 106 BJP MLAs, who are slated to return to Bhopal from Manesar (Haryana) by Sunday late night.