PMC seeks list of items purchased for Covid centres, present status of equipment

The Pune Municipal Corporation has sought a report regarding the present status of materials purchased during the Covid-19 pandemic

The Pune Municipal Corporation has sought a report regarding the present status of materials purchased during the Covid-19 pandemic. In the initial phase of the pandemic, the civic body created institutional quarantine centres, Covid care centres and dedicated health centres which had a lot of equipment too. Currently, most of them are either closed or only partially functioning and hence, the equipment is lying unused.

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Additional municipal commissioner Suresh Jagtap, said, “As most of the Covid-19 care centres have closed, the equipment purchased for it like bedsheets, beds, fans, TV sets, electrical equipment and buckets, among other items all are lying unused. I have instructed all the departments concerned to submit the present status of these materials to the store department.”

Jagtap said, “After getting the report, the PMC can chalk out a plan for its reuse. I have even instructed the store department to undertake its maintenance till it is reused.”

PMC store department head Sunil Indalkar, said, “The additional commissioner has given instructions to all the departments and ward offices to submit a list of items purchased during Covid-19 pandemic and their present status. We are waiting for the lists from all the departments.”

Electrical department head Srinivas Kandul, said, “Our department has prepared the list of the materials purchased during the Covid-19 pandemic. We installed TV sets, fans, water purifiers and lighting systems at the temporary Covid care centres. The list will be submitted to the store department soon.”

PMC had purchased more than 80,000 bedsheets, thousands of buckets for toilets and other daily essential items for these Covid centres.

Indalkar said, “We can reuse many of these items. Bedsheets can be used for PMC-owned hospitals and other materials can be reused at other PMC offices. Once the list is finalised, we will chalk out a plan.”

Civic activist Vijay Kumbhar, said, “The PMC should have ideally done this work much before. I am doubtful that all the material is at right place as at many places in the state it has been stolen. PMC must make a proper list and publish it on its website. It is the duty of the officials to reuse it immediately at other places instead of keeping it idle.”

Opposition party leader in PMC Deepali Dhumal, said, “The material which was used during Covid-19 should be reused. Municipal commissioner and the administration took a call on purchasing this material. It is their responsibility to ensure that it remains in good condition and is utilised at proper places.”