Delhi’s Chief Deputy Minister Manish Sisodia spoke to NDTV on Tuesday evening
Highlight
- Manish Sisodia said that no parent would risk their children’s health now
- Delhi has added more than one lakh of cases since Nov 1
- Arvind Kejriwal has pointed to agricultural fires as a key reason for the increase.
New Delhi:
There is no chance of schools Delhi – closed since March due to the Covid pandemic – reopening in the short term, Deputy Minister Manish Sisodia told NDTV Tuesday night, as the national capital battles a third – and most serious, until the moment – wave of infections.
“There is no chance that the schools will open soon. No parent would want to send their children until they are assured they will be safe,” said Sisodia, who also has the education folder. He also noted that no parent would risk their children’s health at this time.
Late last month, the Delhi government said all schools in the city would remain closed until further notice. At the time, Mr. Sisodia said the decision was based on the parents’ comments. “We continue to receive comments from parents … they are concerned about whether it is safe … it is not,” he had said then.
As part of the latest “unblocking” guidelines, the center has allowed schools (outside of the containment zones) to reopen for classes 9-12. Several provisions were suggested to minimize the spread of the virus, including staggered hours, but The final decision was left to the state governments.
Mr. Sisodia also asked the Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan “not to make political statements (but to take action” on ICU hospital beds to be provided by the central government.
“I request Dr. Harsh Vardhan not to give political statements (but) to take action as minister of health. 10 days have passed since (the center) promised ICU beds and we have only 200. The commitment must be fulfilled,” he added.
Delhi has been hit by a relentless increase in new cases in recent weeks. The city has added more than one lakh since November 1 and an average of more than 6,000 a day last week.
This comes after experts said winter, holiday seasons and worsening air quality (due to burning agricultural waste) would lead to an increase in infections. Prime Minister Arvind Kejriwal pointed out the problem today during a virtual meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other state leaders.
“Stubble burning and Covid is a deadly combination … we have to understand the root case. (We are not saying it) (the increase in cases) is due to stubble burning only, but the northern states of India they are experiencing a surge now, “Manish Sisodia told NDTV today after that meeting.
The increase has stressed already overworked hospitals, leading to a shortage of beds. The state has mandated that 80 percent of ICU beds in 33 private hospitals be reserved for Covid patients.
Earlier this month, the Union Interior Minister Amit Shah met with the Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, to discuss the situation. Mr Kejriwal later said that the center had “ensured that 750 ICU beds will be available.” The Delhi government, which promised 1,400 beds, said it had added more than 400 by Saturday.
A further 1,000 beds are needed from the center, Mr Sisodia said today.
Delhi has recorded more than 5.34 lakh of Covid cases since the pandemic began in December last year. Of these, more than 8,500 are virus-related deaths. Currently, the number of active cases exceeds 37,000.
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