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Eye on Covid-19 surge, CM Nitish Kumar says Bihar to hike testing
The Bihar CM participated in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with CMs to assess their preparedness in the wake of a possible second wave of Covid-19 across states.
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday said that the state government was keeping a watch on the recent spurt in cases of Covid-19 in various states and will hold a high-level meeting soon to plan strategies to curb the outbreak.
Kumar was addressing the media in the state legislature premises after participating in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with CMs to assess their preparedness in the wake of a possible second wave of Covid-19 across states.
The Bihar CM said that the situation in the state was not alarming yet, as the state was witnessing about 20 to 48 cases of Covid-19 infection on a daily basis. “Yet, the health department has decided to ensure testing of nearly 70,000 people daily for the disease. Arrangements are being made to conduct the maximum testing through the RT-PCR mode,” said Kumar, adding that vaccination against the disease was also being conducted properly.
Regarding the ruckus in the assembly, the CM said that he got to know that some of the members acted against the dignity of the House, after he got free from the PM’s meeting. “We will discuss the issue. The members shall also ensure that business of the house shall not be disrupted. All of them, whether of the treasury or in the opposition, should cooperate with the chair to conduct the proceedings,” said Kumar.
About the opposition’s demand to sack his cabinet minister Ram Surat Rai over recovery of liquor from the school of his brother, Kumar said that the minister had clarified his position in the case. “Rai had stated that his family got separated with his brother. Rai never said that those responsible for breach of the prohibition law would be spared,” the CM said.
Kumar said that he had been reviewing the issues of law and order and cases of violation of liquor law regularly. “The home department in its reply in the House yesterday categorically stated that the incidence of crime has come down. People should remain alert for violation of the liquor law. I assure that those involved in illegal trade of liquor will not be spared,” said the CM.
