NEW DELHI: In view of the sharp increase in coronavirus cases in the national capital, the Centre has decided to step in and have a closer look at the situation in Delhi, officials said on Saturday.
In this regard, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Health minister Harsh Vardhan will hold a meeting with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on Sunday to review the situation in the national capital.
“Home Minister, Shri @Amit- Shah and Health Minister, @ drharshvardhan to hold meeting with @LtGovDelhi, CM Delhi & members of SDMA to review situation in the capital regarding COVID-19 tomorrow, 14th June at 11 am.
"Director AIIMS and other senior officers would also be present,” Shah’s office tweeted. Besides meeting Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, the Shah will also chair a second meeting on Sunday evening with the three mayors of the Municipal Corporations of Delhi.
The Union health minister, Kejriwal, members of the SDMA (State Disaster Management Authority) and Dr Randeep Guleria, Director of AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) will attend this meeting too. Delhi is one of the worst-affected cities in India with more than 36, 000 cases and over 1,200 deaths.
In fact, in the last 24 hours Delhi recorded highest single-day spike with 2,137 cases with 71 deaths. Shah and Kejriwal also met on Wednesday. After that meeting Kejriwal tweeted that the Home Minister had “assured all cooperation”. On Friday the Supreme Court pulled up the Delhi government over the “horrendous, horrific and pathetic” situation in the city.
A turf war has been going on between the Delhi administration and the L-G, who most recently overruled Kejriwal’s decision to reserve healthcare for resident of Delhi only.
According to sources, due to the unique nature of division of administration in the national capital, the strategy of better coordination among the government, LG and Municipal Corporations will be fine-tuned in the two meetings with the home minister.
PM Modi reviews Covid situation
PM Narendra Modi reviewed the prevailing situation at a meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, the ICMR chief and other conveners of the
Empowered Groups on Covid-19.