Amit Shah calls meeting of all Delhi parties today to discuss Covid-19 situation

With the coronavirus tally nearing 39,000 and deaths crossing 1,200, the Home Minister held two high-level meetings with Baijal, Kejriwal, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, mayors and commissioners of Delhi’s three municipal corporations to ramp up the measures to fight the infectious disease. Assuring assistance to the capital city, Shah said that the Covid-19 testing would be doubled in Delhi in the next two days and subsequently increased by three times.

देश की राजधानी दिल्ली में कोरोना संक्रमण को रोकने के लिए मोदी सरकार कटिबद्ध है।

आज स्वास्थ्य मंत्री @drharshvardhan, @LTGovDelhi और मुख्यमंत्री @arvindkejriwal व वरिष्ठ अधिकारियों के साथ बैठक कर दिल्ली की जनता की सुरक्षा व इस संक्रमण को रोकने के लिए कई महत्तवपूर्ण निर्णय लिए।

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) June 14, 2020

He added that Covid-19 tests would be started at every polling station in containment zones and a comprehensive house-to-house survey would be conducted in the hotspots for contact-tracing.

In order to overcome the shortage of beds for Covid patients in Delhi, the Narendra Modi-led central government would immediately provide 500 railway coaches equipped with all facilities, he said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah (2nd R), holds a meeting with Health Minister Harsh Vardhan (R), Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal (L) and other to discuss the COVID-19 situation in Delhi, at North Block in New Delhi, Sunday, June 14, 2020. (PTI Photo/ Shahbaz Khan)

He also stated that a committee constituted under the chairmanship of V K Paul, a member of the NITI Aayog, would ensure the availability of 60 per cent beds in private hospitals at lower rates and fix the rate of coronavirus testing and treatment. The committee would submit its report by Monday. Also, detailed guidelines for conducting the last rites of those who succumbed to the deadly virus would be issued soon

Terming his meeting with Shah “extremely productive”, Kejriwal said the Centre and the Delhi government will fight the COVID-19 together. “Extremely productive meeting betn Del govt and Central govt. Many key decisions taken. We will fight against corona together (sic),” Kejriwal tweeted after the meeting.

Extremely productive meeting betn Del govt and Central govt. Many key decisions taken. We will fight against corona together.

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 14, 2020

In terms of the number of cases, Delhi is third-worst affected state after Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

On a day the Supreme Court termed the situation in the national capital “horrific”, the Delhi government made it clear that the lockdown, imposed as a measure to arrest the spread of the virus, would not be extended in the state. “No, the lockdown will not be extended,” Delhi Health Minister Jain said while replying to a question on whether there have been any discussions to extend the lockdown.

With PTI inputs