All-party meet: BJP, Congress demand increased testing; AAP raises issue of outside patients with LG

In the first all-party meeting called by Lt Governor Anil Baijal on Tuesday to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic situation in Delhi, the BJP and Congress demanded that the testing be increased, while the ruling AAP raised the issue of patients from outside the national capital seeking treatment in hospitals here.

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Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta said he emphasised on the need to increase the COVID-19 testing and the number of hospital beds for the affected.

He also suggested that schools and metro services should not be resumed and the government should reconsider its decision to permit opening of malls in view of the rising cases of coronavirus.

"The situation is deteriorating in Delhi due to the failure of the Delhi government and the situation warrants raising the number of tests and beds. The government should rise above politics to work with other parties and organisations," Gupta said.

Delhi Congress president Anil Kumar claimed in the meeting that since the coronavirus cases started to spike after June 3, Delhi has been testing fewer people every day, and said it was a "dangerous" situation.

"Delhi has completely failed on the testing front," he said after the meeting.

Kumar also demanded that a cash transfer of Rs 10,000 be immediately made to the account of each coronavirus affected family in containment zones to help them survive the financial and health crises.

The Delhi government should share the data of contact tracing and isolation, Kumar demanded and suggested tele-consultation facilities to avoid crowding at hospitals, and simplifying information sharing about bed availability through Delhi government mobile app.

The meeting came a day after the LG overruled the AAP government's decision to reserve private and Delhi government hospitals for local residents while leaving central government hospitals for outsider patients.

AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said he raised the issue of patients coming from outside Delhi for treatment and how the city will deal with the pressure.

"When I asked the LG if any arrangement for the people who will be coming from all over the country has been made, he did not have an answer," Singh said.

He also attacked the BJP over the issue.

"It is clear that Yogi and Khattar governments have collapsed in tackling the coronavirus crisis and health services in Noida, Ghaziabad and Guragaon are in shambles. That is why the BJP pressured the LG into revoking the decision of Delhi government," he told reporters after the all-party meeting.