KOLKATA: Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused the BJP-led Centre of not helping the Bengal government and leaving it to fend for itself only because there was an assembly poll in the state next year. The BJP wanted to show the state in a poor light for electoral gains, the West Bengal CM added.
“What have you done for us? We expected 10,000 ventilators, free personal protective equipment and gloves from the government of India. We have got nothing. I am saying this with a lot of pain,” Banerjee said at Nabanna on Thursday in one of her sharpest attacks on the Centre till date in the pandemic season.
“We are approaching monsoon and soon there may be a dengue outbreak. The state government has its limitations,” she said, adding that she did not expect the Centre to indulge in politics when the entire country was struggling to beat back the virus’s spread.
Banerjee laid out the route map for the state’s Covid-control plan, focusing on a combination of improving health-sector logistics and containment strategies. Government offices will go back to working with a 50% workforce, down from the current 70%, till July 31. Banerjee also hinted at changes in these plans, if necessary, after that.
“But we will involve people and strive to improve awareness to win the battle,” she said, reminding everyone that Bengal — unlike many other states — had not invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act. “We believe in doing it with love,” she added.
Banerjee also appealed to all private-sector offices as well to implement work-from-home policies “wherever possible”.
The government on Thursday bolstered the current hospital-bed numbers in Kolkata to address the rising number of patients. Kolkata’s Covid numbers also included people coming here for treatment, Banerjee said, explaining the need to add to the number of beds here. “There will soon be an extra 3,500-4,000 Covid beds. Private hospitals like Woodlands, AMRI and Desun have added beds. We have taken over Islamia Hospital and will convert R Ahmed Dental College into a Covid hospital,” she added.
The state government has also acquired 20 beds each at two private hospitals — Desun and Charnock — for Covid patients. “We are getting the 20 beds ready. We should be able to hand it over to the government by Monday,” an official of Charnock Hospital said.
Banerjee also stressed the importance of listening to doctor’s advice and staying home in case of asymptomatic patients and those with very mild symptoms. “We must listen to doctors if they say that a patient will be better off at home,” the CM said.
One problem the government is facing in setting up safe homes for people needing quarantine is the NIMBY (Not In My BackYard) mentality. “There is a reluctance in people to allow safe homes in their neighbourhoods,” Banerjee said, adding: “We have not managed to get a single community centre for a safe house.”
Cremation of Covid victims’ bodies presented a similar problem, the CM said. “Covid victims’ bodies are not being allowed at crematoria. There’s just one furnace at Dhapa, where these bodies are now being cremated, and we need at least two-three more. It takes four months to build one. So where do we cremate bodies?” she asked, appealing for greater empathy from citizens.
“What have you done for us? We expected 10,000 ventilators, free personal protective equipment and gloves from the government of India. We have got nothing. I am saying this with a lot of pain,” Banerjee said at Nabanna on Thursday in one of her sharpest attacks on the Centre till date in the pandemic season.
“We are approaching monsoon and soon there may be a dengue outbreak. The state government has its limitations,” she said, adding that she did not expect the Centre to indulge in politics when the entire country was struggling to beat back the virus’s spread.
Banerjee laid out the route map for the state’s Covid-control plan, focusing on a combination of improving health-sector logistics and containment strategies. Government offices will go back to working with a 50% workforce, down from the current 70%, till July 31. Banerjee also hinted at changes in these plans, if necessary, after that.
“But we will involve people and strive to improve awareness to win the battle,” she said, reminding everyone that Bengal — unlike many other states — had not invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act. “We believe in doing it with love,” she added.
Banerjee also appealed to all private-sector offices as well to implement work-from-home policies “wherever possible”.
The government on Thursday bolstered the current hospital-bed numbers in Kolkata to address the rising number of patients. Kolkata’s Covid numbers also included people coming here for treatment, Banerjee said, explaining the need to add to the number of beds here. “There will soon be an extra 3,500-4,000 Covid beds. Private hospitals like Woodlands, AMRI and Desun have added beds. We have taken over Islamia Hospital and will convert R Ahmed Dental College into a Covid hospital,” she added.
The state government has also acquired 20 beds each at two private hospitals — Desun and Charnock — for Covid patients. “We are getting the 20 beds ready. We should be able to hand it over to the government by Monday,” an official of Charnock Hospital said.
Banerjee also stressed the importance of listening to doctor’s advice and staying home in case of asymptomatic patients and those with very mild symptoms. “We must listen to doctors if they say that a patient will be better off at home,” the CM said.
One problem the government is facing in setting up safe homes for people needing quarantine is the NIMBY (Not In My BackYard) mentality. “There is a reluctance in people to allow safe homes in their neighbourhoods,” Banerjee said, adding: “We have not managed to get a single community centre for a safe house.”
Cremation of Covid victims’ bodies presented a similar problem, the CM said. “Covid victims’ bodies are not being allowed at crematoria. There’s just one furnace at Dhapa, where these bodies are now being cremated, and we need at least two-three more. It takes four months to build one. So where do we cremate bodies?” she asked, appealing for greater empathy from citizens.
