Uttar Pradesh: BJP leaders write to CM over COVID-19 crisis
Several MPs and MLAs from Uttar Pradesh BJP have written to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, highlighting the state government's shortcomings in handling the COVID-19 pandemic. The BJP leaders have raised questions over the shortage of hospital beds and oxygen, and alleged lack of cooperation from authorities while dealing with SOS calls. They have also urged the CM to visit hotspot districts and review arrangements.
Junior Labor Minister alleged hoarding, black marketing of supplies
In a letter to the CM on May 6, Union Minister of State for Labor and Employment Santosh Gangwar addressed the shortage of empty oxygen cylinders due to hoarding, the black marketing of ventilators, and patients scouting around for hospital admission in Bareilly, his Lok Sabha constituency. The CM, who recently recovered from COVID-19 himself, later took stock of the situation in the district.
Wife lay on hospital grounds waiting for bed: BJP MLA
Ramgopal "Pappu" Lodhi, BJP MLA from Jasrana, Firozabad, said his COVID-positive wife was referred to SN Medical College in Agra, where she had to spend two-three hours lying on the ground as she waited for a bed. "Only God knows how my wife is...I hope this never happens to a poor person," said Lodhi, who has himself contracted COVID-19.
You can watch his video statement here:
'Feel helpless amid calls requesting hospital beds, supplies'
Several other ministers have also addressed lapses in the pandemic's management and their helplessness amid calls requesting hospital beds and medical supplies pouring in, according to The Indian Express. These include state Cabinet Minister and Lucknow MLA Brijesh Pathak; Mohanlalganj MLA Kaushal Kishore who lost his brother to COVID-19; Basti MP Haish Dwivedi; Bhadohi MLA Dinanath Bhaskar; and Kanpur MP Satyadev Pachauri.
Personal losses at stake for state BJP
At least four BJP MLAs in Uttar Pradesh have died of COVID-19 since the second wave started, including Lucknow West's Suresh Srivastava, Raebareli's Dal Bahadur Kori, Bareilly's Kesar Singh — who had also written to the CM — and Auraiya's Ramesh Diwakar, reported TIE.
300 oxygen plants to be set up in UP: Adityanath
The Chief Minister on Monday announced that work is underway to set up 300 oxygen plants in Uttar Pradesh, highlighting that the state cannot completely rely on the supply of oxygen. "The second wave of COVID-19 posed a new challenge...We are thankful to the Government of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi who are running special trains for this," he added.
Worst-affected districts account for almost half of UP's caseload
Uttar Pradesh has the fourth-highest COVID-19 caseload in the country, in terms of both total (15 lakh) and active cases (2.25 lakh). Lucknow, Kanpur Nagar, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Meerut, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Gorakhpur, Ghaziabad, Bareilly, and Moradabad are among the worst affected districts. These districts account for almost half (7.38 lakh) of the total 15.03 lakh COVID-19 cases recorded in the state.
