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Outgoing Pune divisional commissioner sets up inquiry after mayor’s allegations
Mayor Murlidhar Mohol alleges that 400-500 suspected Covid-19 deaths in the city are not recorded as virus deaths.
The outgoing divisional commissioner, Deepak Mhaisekar set up an inquiry on the day of his retirement into the allegations made by Pune mayor Murlidhar Mohol on the unaccounted suspected Covid-19 deaths.
The Pune mayor on Thursday alleged that there are around 400 to 500 suspected Covid-19 deaths in the city which is not getting recorded as Covid-19 deaths.
The mayor raised this issue in front of chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday and even spoke on the issue with the media.
According to Mohol, as per ICMR guidelines, there is no need to conduct the Covid-19 test on a deceased person.
“As per my information, every day, almost 12 suspected deaths are being recorded at Sassoon Hospital alone and there are many such cases in other hospitals. Post the death, when doctors carry out an X-ray test on the body, there are clear symptoms of Covid,” the mayor said on Thursday.
Mohol said he needed to put this in front of the authorities to save lives.
“I don’t want to blame anyone for this situation, but I need to put this fact before the authorities and steps should be taken to save lives. It is also negligence at the citizens’ level as they are rushing to the hospital at the last stage,” the mayor said.
Mhaisekar said, “I called a meeting with Sassoon hospital authorities and inquired about the mayor’s allegations. I asked the Sassoon Hospital to give data of Covid-19 as well as non Covid deaths in Sassoon hospital mainly in July. I have even asked to give data on the total deaths in Sassoon in the previous year in the same period.”
Mhaisekar said that the administration will conduct an inquiry and check whether the suspected Covid-19 deaths are high and while handing over such bodies, guidelines given by ICMR are being followed.
Saurabh Rao takes charge as divisional commissioner
Maharashtra government appointed Saurabh Rao as the new Pune divisional commissioner. The previous divisional commissioner, Deepak Mhaisekar retired on July 31.
Mhaisekar said, “It was my most challenging post as a Pune divisional commissioner where I served for two years and three months.”
During his tenure, Mhaisekar handled the floods in Kolhapur and Sangli and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Rao took charge from him and expressed that Mhaisekar would guide the administration even after retirement.
