Bihar Assembly shut after 44 test positive; all-party meet today

With continuing surge in Covid-19 pandemic in Bihar in general and in Patna in particular, Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha on Friday ordered complete closure of the Bihar Legislative Assembly secretariat from April 17 to April 25

With continuing surge in Covid-19 pandemic in Bihar in general and in Patna in particular, Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha on Friday ordered complete closure of the Bihar Legislative Assembly secretariat from April 17 to April 25.

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The decision was taken after 44 Vidhan Sabha secretariat officials and staff tested positive within three days.

“These are extraordinary times. Any government can at best ensure proper treatment to the ill, but a pandemic requires utmost caution and social awareness to check its spread. The need of the hour is not to panic, but be conscious and follow the protocol. The office has been closed to break the chain,” he said.

The Speaker said during the closure of the Vidhan Sabha secretariat, all the officials and staff would be required to stay in headquarters and keep their mobile phones on.

The Speaker urged all the hospitals and doctors to get down to serving the humanity in this hour of crisis.

Meanwhile, a day before an all-party meeting over Covid situation in Bihar, chief minister Nitish Kumar held a high-level meeting here Friday to review steps taken so far to check spread of the virus and also availability of oxygen cylinder for coronavirus patients.

Emerging from the meeting, Kumar refused to divulge details of the deliberations, saying everything will be discussed at all-party meeting which will be chaired by Governor Phagu Chauhan on April 17.

“We will brief about steps taken till now to check the spread of infections and will listen to point of views of others,” he told reporters.

The meeting called by the Governor will be held in virtual mode.

Friday’s meeting was attended by deputy chief ministers Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi, health minister Mangal Pandey, education minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and principal secretary (health) Pratyaya Amrit, among others.

Asked if Bihar was contemplating a lockdown or night curfew in the backdrop of substantial increase in infections, the chief minister did not give any direct answer and said things would be discussed at Saturday meeting.