Could not have left my people to die in infected places: CM
Shimla: Though looking alarmed over the usual rise in number of COVID-19 cases exceeding the 100-mark , Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Wednesday justified his decision to facilitate the return of Himachalis stranded in red-zone cities like Mumbai and Delhi.
He described his action as being purely humanitarian and inevitable in view of the dangers looming large over their lives. These people were in facing the real crisis, he said.
"I could not have left my people to die in those towns where they had COVID-19 positive patients all around them and just next door. We also knew that their return will shoot-up cases. Now since more people are likely to reach, the number will certainly spike," Thakur predicted, asserting that arrangements were in place to deal with this developing situation.
His remarks come in the wake of growing criticism about the state government mishandling the situation and its apparent inability to control the spread of the Coronavirus.
More than 1.09 lakh persons have already reached the state in the last one week via special trains, private vehicles and buses from all over the country. There are at least 60,000 others still waiting to arrive.
Those coming from the red zones are lodged in institutional quarantine and others from organ and green zones sent to home quarantines.
Kangra, the state's largest district, where maximum people have returned from other places, especially Mumbai and Delhi, reported 13 cases of which six tested positive just on Wednesday. Hamirpur— another neighbouring district has 10 cases and one death, all of whom are returnees.
Significantly none of those coming from Goa and Karnataka have tested positive so far. The largest number of positive cases happen to be of migrants returning from Delhi, Mumbai and Pune.
Total number of cases in Himachal Pradesh has risen to 110, of which 18 were reported in the last 24-hours – the highest daily case count. Of the total cases, 52 were reported in just the past few days.
Chief Minister hinted that the government may halt the process of bringing people for some days and step-up testing to isolate those who develop symptoms of Coronavirus.
"Himachal Pradesh has highest testing rate in the country. We will try to chase each and every case amongst those reaching the state. There will be no scope left for any new detection once the cycle of testing is complete," he assured.
Meanwhile leader of Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri led a delegation of MLAs to Speaker Vipin Parmar asking for convening of a special three-day session of the assembly to discuss the situation arising out of COVID-19, and also the spike in cases in the state.
"He (Agnihotri) is playing politics. Let him tell me if he has come up with a special formula or prescription to treat corona cases. Himachal is doing far better than Punjab and Rajasthan, both Congress ruled states," asserted Thakur. Kangra Deputy Commissioner, Rakesh Prajapathi refused to subscribe to perception that there is community transmission in the district. "There is no such situation," he said.
