PUNE: With the threat of a third wave of Covid-19 looming large, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has given its nod to running of the jumbo facility located at the College of Engineering Pune (COEP) in Shivajinagar for another three months.
The standing committee of the PMC on Tuesday permitted running of the jumbo facility for three more months, appointing three new agencies for the purpose, according to civic officials. Hemant Rasane, chairman of the standing committee, said, “The municipal commissioner had placed this proposal before the standing committee. All political parties gave their approval.”
According to the health department, the city is currently reporting around 200 to 250 Covid cases on a daily basis while the entire Pune district is reporting close to 1,000 cases per day. The jumbo facility started admitting patients from the first week of July after ebbing of the second wave of Covid. Earlier following a surge in Covid cases, the jumbo facility was again made operational from March 22 with 55 beds for Covid patients which rose to 700 operational beds as the number of cases increased. Following a drop in the daily caseload however, the PMC stopped new admissions to the jumbo facility and the number of operational beds too was gradually reduced. During this period, more than 3,000 Covid patients were admitted to the facility.
Meanwhile, Congress party leader Sanjay Balgude took a swipe at the BJP saying that while the latter was staging agitations for the reopening of temples on the one hand, it was also in favour of keeping the jumbo facility open for three more months on the other. “It shows the BJP’s double standards as they held a protest for the reopening of temples. The central government has warned of the possibility of a third wave and the PMC too is preparing for it even as the BJP politicises the religious places’ issue,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, Congress party leader Sanjay Balgude took a swipe at the BJP saying that while the latter was staging agitations for the reopening of temples on the one hand, it was also in favour of keeping the jumbo facility open for three more months on the other. “It shows the BJP’s double standards as they held a protest for the reopening of temples. The central government has warned of the possibility of a third wave and the PMC too is preparing for it even as the BJP politicises the religious places’ issue,” he said.
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