Opp Cong lashes out at MDA Govt’s failure to handle COVID-19 pandemic

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 3, 2021

The opposition Congress on Tuesday slammed the Conrad K Sangma-led state government for its alleged failure in handling the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are deeply concerned about the failure of the government in responding to the challenges of dealing with the pandemic…They had given up and left it to the people. It is completely unbecoming of a government…,” Leader of Opposition Mukul Sangma told reporters after chairing a CLP meeting here.

Stating that the virus has spread to the rural areas of the state, Mukul said there is complete abandonment of the protocols required to be followed by the government.

These include the various measures which are required to be put in place by the government in the rural areas to contain the pandemic, to save lives and to dislocate the chain of transmission and to prevent possibility of another new mutant or variant emerging.

He however said, “…the lack of focus and priority of this government has left the pandemic to shape its own way or giving the virus free right of way. The virus is going everywhere. They have given the complete right of way to the virus. We don’t know where the virus is now. The virus is striking at will.“

The former Chief Minister also expressed concern over the vaccine resistance among the citizens of the state.

“There is a confusion…advisory is required to be given to everyone who have been taking the vaccines (but) this is not done and that is why unnecessary complications are coming up and are creating this negative narrative against the vaccine therefore the resistance. We have to undo it. It is the job of the government. Under their command whatever authorities are there, they must utilize them to reach out to the people…,” he asserted.

Mukul further alleged that the government has failed to provide funds to the concerned district authorities to engage extra manpower despite the pandemic not showing signs of flattening.

He slammed the government for having a ‘chalta hai’ attitude and left it to the people to deal with a pandemic which has been declared as a national disaster.

“This is completely again because of the lack of insensitivity of this government and lack of commitment to resolve issues to protect the interest of the people, to save lives, to minimize the sufferings of the people,” he said.

The Leader of Opposition further alleged that many precious lives have been loss due to the non-availability of the advanced life support (ALS) ambulances.

He also accused the Chief Minister of lying to the people of the state that the ALS ambulances will be made available within a period of two weeks.

“…many precious lives which could have been saved have not been possible to be saved only because the government has not bothered. Till now, the ALS ambulance which they promised on that day at the meeting convened by the Speaker. Didn’t the CM talk about the ALS ambulance. Where are ALS ambulances? They told us within two weeks but where are they? They lied to us and the people of the state. Talking to the press means he is promising to the people of the state. This is the audacity of this government,”he said.

“Less said the better but I must ask the government to pull up its socks and live up to the expected lines, respond to a given situation and do justice to the chair that they are holding,” he added.

He also asked as to who had put the order for ALS ambulances. “You ask them whether it’s the health department or somebody else. You have to find out,” he said.

Stating that COVID cases have not declined in the state, Mukul alleged that the actual cases are five times higher than the official figures available with the government.  

“…if they are showing 500 now you multiply by 5 it will be 2,500. It is much much higher than the official figure because they are not following this contact tracing anymore,” he said.

According to him, the virus is striking back at will and the government wants to continue to have restrictions and containments.

He however stated that there are many other things the government has to do.

“People are not getting medical care, people are being denied of their medical care required to be given to them in the name of COVID because facilities are not created for all medical institutions for respective 100 bedded civil hospitals, how to aggregate the resources, the manpower and how to redeploy this manpower – nothing is done,” he said adding that there is complete dislocation and lack of coordination at the government level.