COVID-19 Situation: Congress Urges Odisha CM To Convene Assembly By Aug 3rd Week

Bhubaneswar: Congress Legislature party leader Narasingha Mishra has urged Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to convene the Assembly session by third week of August to discuss the worsening COVID-19 situation in the state.

Disappointed with the outcome of the steps taken by the state government in combating the coronavirus pandemic, Mishra has written to the CM that the Assembly needs to meet to discuss various problems being faced by the people and try to find solutions jointly.

“To combat COVID-19, we extended full support to you, be it adjourning the Assembly or outside the House. Unconditional support was extended to State Government for public interest. After more than 3 months, output of all steps taken by state Government has disappointed us. I don’t mean that various steps taken by your Government was wrong. Ultimate results of various steps taken by your Government has become unproductive,” Mishra has written.

He has pointed out positive cases are rising alarmingly now, with more than 7000 people having been affected.

“No doubt in comparison to some states, our position is better, but at the same time some other states have performed better than us. We have failed to provide medical facilities to large sections of people. Reports from Ganjam show that in rural areas, medicine shops are closed. Doctors are not available in PHC and CHC. Even in Bhubaneswar, doctors are afraid of recording blood pressure of patients and in my district Bolangir, doctors do not come to the hospital and also are not available in PHC & CHC,” Mishra has complained.

He further says that unemployment problem in the state has become acute, condition of migrant labourers is going bad to worse and farmers are not able to sell their paddy because of petrol and diesel price hike and for other reasons.

“Price of essential commodities has increased. Due to lack of transport facility, movement of people has come to a standstill,” Mishra has argued.