Kolkata 26 June : COVID 19 has taken its toll on Trinamool Congress “s biggest annual political show , 21 July rally .
With the decision to cancel the biggest event chief minister Mamata Banerjee took a digital at the Opposition parties and said that if she can cancel the biggest annual political show due to this pandemic , why Opposition parties are doing politics during the time of crisis.
The rally held at Chowrighee in Kolkata every year in memory of 13 Youth Congress workers cadres who were allegedly killed in 1993police firing .
While addressing the media chief minister Mamata Banerjee said “ This year we have decided to cancel 21 July program Shahid Divas program which is held every year due to the COVID 19 pandemic . Why are you ( Opposition parties doing politics during this time when I am cancelling my biggest political rally . This is the time to work together to fight the menace.”
Banerjee hits out at Opposition parties and said “ I have called an all party meet on Wednesday and told every political party to work together to fight the pandemic , but still they continue to do politics beside helping people in times of need”
Dilip Ghosh , BJP state president said “ Banerjee has failed in managing the COVID 19 crisis and so she is urging everybody to help her . Her party members does not allow us to visit the Cyclone affected places when we were desperately trying to provide help to people . She herself is busy doing politics and blaming the Opposition parties . Center is maintaining all health protocols to contain the virus and they are helping all states to fight the menace . Banerjee always tries to malign Center in every issue and so this is not new to us.”
Mamata hits at Center after trains , domestic flights and international flights have started operating although Bengal still has extended the lockdown.
According to chief minister Mamata Banerjee although state government is taking all measures to contain the pandemic and has also capped the price of the treatment of the patients of the COVID 19 pandemic, she claimed that she would request Center to discontinue the operations of international flights .
“ I got an information that Airport authorities are allowing all passengers to go home without mandatory institutional quarantine as per ICMR guideline . ICMR only told that contact tracing , testing and quarantine is needed , but now Center is flouting the norms .I would request Center to discontinue international flight operations. If they inform us early and only one flight per month comes to Kolkata airport that is acceptable for us .”
According to chief minister Mamata Banerjee, the private nursing homes charge rS 4,500 for testing Corona virus . Now the new charges will be Rs 2,250 . The PPE and other personal protective equipments will be capped at Rs 1,000 per day in private health care establishments. The doctors consultation charges will be Rs 1,000 per day as against Rs 5,000 per day in a private health care establishment.
According to Banerjee she has instructed chief secretary to write a letter to the Center urging them to stop domestic flights from hot spot states.
“ We are standing beside the hot spot states , but we cannot allow people from hot spot states to come and spread the virus . We have heard that health protocol is not being maintained . We can handle short distance flights from Kolkata to Bagdogra and from Kolkata to Andal but not long distance flights . If after every 15 days , domestic flights ply by giving intimation to us it would help us to track, trace and test all passengers who came from other states if they show any symptoms of COVID19.”
Banerjee also expressed her displeasure over Union Railways over the operations of the special trains which are carrying lakhs of passengers to Bengal.
“ Every day 10 special trains are coming to Bengal without our notice . My chief secretary will write a letter to the Center urging him to provide information of the trains that are coming every day so that we can also send all people for health screening and sent them to quarantine facilities .” added Banerjee
Transportation a major problem for the commuters who are going out from their home for work.
With most private buses off the roads and local trains services and metro rail services yet to resume , commuters are facing harrowing time while returning home.
On Friday Banerjee announced Rs 15,000 subsidy to all private bus owners without any fare hike .
“ We have decided that drivers , conductors of private buses will be entitled for the Swasthya Sathi scheme and also we have decided to provide Rs 15, 000 grant to all private bus owners during this period to overcome the crisis. But we do not support any fare hike.”
Banerjee also requested metro rail authorities to run trains abiding by social distancing protocol.
“We have seen that commuters who stay far away feels worried returning home and so we urge the Metro Rail authorities to start their service within July 1 by abiding all social distancing protocol.” Banerjee added