Delhi COVID-19 crisis: Amit Shah to hold meeting with Anil Baijal, Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday
Meeting comes amid massive spurt in COVID-19 numbers in the UT.
New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will hold a meeting with Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and others on Sunday to discuss the COVID-19 situation in the national capital.
The meeting comes in the wake of rising coronavirus cases in Delhi. The tally has reached 36,000 and more than 1,200 people have died due to the virus in the national capital.
"Home Minister, Shri @AmitShah and Health Minister, @drharshvardhan to hold meeting with @LtGovDelhi, CM Delhi & members of SDMA to review situation in the capital regarding COVID-19 tomorrow, 14th June at 11 am. Director AIIMS and other senior officers would also be present," Shah's office tweeted.
The number of coronavirus cases in Delhi is the third highest in the country after Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. There has been criticism from different quarters over the handling of COVID-19 cases in the capital with complaints of non-availability of beds in hospitals for patients and difficulty in getting the tests done in laboratories.
The Supreme Court on Friday lashed out at the city government, terming as "horrific" the state of affairs in Delhi hospitals with bodies being stacked next to COVID-19 patients.
After the SC's observation, the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government said it accepts with utmost respect and sincerity the apex court's remarks and pointed out that it was trying its best to set up better infrastructure and provide quality healthcare to all COVID-19 patients in the city.
Baijal has also formed a six-member panel to formulate a COVID-19 management plan and suggest ways to ramp up medical infrastructure in the capital. This comes close on the heels of Baijal's recent assertions on hospital beds and testing, and overturning of two Delhi government orders -- reserving hospital beds only for residents of Delhi and testing of only symptomatic patients.
The members on Baijal's advisory committee are DG ICMR Professor Balram Bhargava, AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria, National Disaster Management Authority members Krishna Vatsa, Kamal Kishore and others.