PUDUCHERRY: Puducherry Health Minister Malladi Krishna Rao on Monday said that separate instructions to the Chief Secretary and other officials by Lt Governor Kiran Bedi, without the knowledge of the Chief Minister or ministers, were disrupting COVID-19 control measures in the Union Territory.
Briefing newsmen at a press conference on Monday, the Health Minister said that the Chief Minister, ministers and officials have been working day and night as a team by making field visits, reviewing the scenario, understanding the requirements and problems and then holding meetings once a week or in three days to take collective decisions in the interest of the public.
However for the past 15 days, the Lt Governor has been passing instructions to officials directly after interacting with them in the evening at 7 p.m. The Chief Minister or ministers had no knowledge about the instructions passed, he said.
Recently she gave directions to the Civil Supplies department to take up a door to door survey for assessing BPL people holding red ration cards and also to the fisheries department for taking up a survey for assessing the list of around 19,000 fishermen families for providing compensation for the fishing ban period.
Rao said this was not advisable as it could lead to the spread of COVID-19 and people will also get annoyed with survey teams visiting them fearing infection. He said that the Lt Governor instead of giving unilateral directions could participate in meetings and give her views for taking collective decisions.
At the meeting of the Puducherry Disaster Management Authority, chaired by the Chief Minister on Sunday evening, it was decided to place one IAS officer in charge of three constituencies who would be assisted by three PCS officers in charge of each constituency. On a daily basis they should spend half a day in understanding and assessing the COVID situation and the requirements, said Rao. He suggested the setting up of a committee with teachers, village headman, magalir mandram and local volunteers for better management of COVID.
The testing of samples would be enhanced to three shifts in the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute (IGMCRI) and JIPMER also would be increasing testing within a few days. Private medical colleges have been directed to set up testing facilities following permission from the Centre. Testing would be free of cost with expenses to be borne by the government. However, rates would be fixed for beds and charges for ICU and ventilators for treatment of COVID-19 in private medical colleges, he said.