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In first visit to city since Covid-19 outbreak… CM Uddhav Thackeray says PMC must take lead in ensuring bed availability
The city, as of Wednesday recorded 55,035 progressive positive cases and 1,358 Covid-related deaths
Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, on Thursday, visited Pune and reviewed the Covid-19 situation, with public representatives expressing their dis-satisfaction about the handling of the pandemic in the city.
During the meeting with the representatives and officials, Thackeray instructed the administration to keep bed information updated and to work to bring down the Covid-19 case rate, along with the case fatality rate in Pune.
The city, as of Wednesday recorded 55,035 progressive positive cases and 1,358 Covid-related deaths.
This was Thackeray’s first visit to the city after becoming chief minister and many hoped that he would make an announcement about additional facilities for the city’s Covid-19 battle.
The chief minister suggested the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) take the lead in increasing the number of beds considering the rising number of cases.
He also called for the expediting of the process to build jumbo facilities, on the lines of Mumbai.
He asked private laboratories to first give the test reports of patients to the civic body, so as to ensure the concerned authorities treat the patients.
“In some cases, it was seen that patients died due to non-availability of beds as they were initially reluctant to go to hospital. To avoid this, private labs should first hand over reports of every positive person to the municipal corporation, which can ensure availability of beds for patients,” said Thackeray.
On the PMC’s demand for funds, the chief minister said: “It is natural that municipal corporations are asking for funds. Not only Pune, but the demand is coming from all the municipal corporations. The state government is also asking the centre to help Maharashtra. On behalf of the state government, I will definitely give financial help to Pune and other all the cities.”
During the meeting, MLAs and MPs mainly raised problem of bed management and inadequate infrastructure in fighting the Covid crisis.
Questions asked, questions remain
“There were multiple issues we raised in front of chief minister. While he has asked the administration to improve coordination, there was nothing substantial that emerged out of his visit to the city,” said Pune’s member of Parliament Girish Bapat.
BJP state unit president Chandrakant Patil, who represents Kothrud, urged Thackeray to instruct the administration to ensure better coordination among all agencies, while Pune mayor, Murlidhar Mohol, said private hospitals are not co-operating by not updating the proper information about the vacant beds.
“Even the municipal corporation is short of money and the Maharashtra government must co-operate with the municipal corporation,” Mohol said.
BJP MLA Siddhartha Shirole, who was vocal about the CM not visiting the city in its hour of crisis, said “The chief minister visited Pune for the first time during the pandemic, but not much has come out of the visit. During the meeting, I raised the question of the jumbo facility as the administration has not completed the process of tendering yet. There was no answer, though.”
NCP MLA Sunil Tingre also raised the issue of overcharging by hospitals, a common complaint by patients in Pune.
“Private hospitals are charging exorbitant rates from patients as there are more patients and less number of beds in the city. Some housing societies have showed an interest in offering their clubhouses, which we need, as Covid care centres,” said Tingre.
BOXX
What CM wants Pune to do
PMC to take lead in bed management
Expedite construction of jumbo Covid care facilities
Private hospitals must regularly update bed availability
Private labs must submit positive tests to PMC first
