In a strongly-worded letter, Pradesh Congress Committee president Niranjan Patnaik on Friday slammed the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) for its callousness towards the citizens.
“My letter has nothing to do with my political views; and I merely speak as a citizen of Bhubaneswar,” stated Patnaik in the letter. He requested Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to get a review done by Chief Secretary to find out why there is universal anger against BMC. “In normal times, this level of anger would have manifested in agitational programme. But these are not normal times,” Niranjan Patnaik observed.While stating that he stands with Government in fighting Covid-19, the concerns of Bhubaneswar citizens need urgent attention. Among issues raised Patnaik, who is also a former Health Minister, are: BMC officials are not approachable and are only interested in one-sway communication.
It is difficult to speak to the Ward Officers, let alone the BMC Commissioner.The helpline number, though has started functioning, is often expressing helplessness.The BMC is relying too much on antigen test and number of RT-PCR tests is inadequate. Test is not available on demand as had been advised by Government of India. People, who come to know that they had come in contact with virus, are not able to get tested and remain under stress.
Test reports take days to come and people often are under stress. Those in home isolation have not been provided pulse oximeter and are receiving poor support. There is an acute shortage of hospital beds. For one ICU bed being vacated, three are five persons waiting to get it. While expressing satisfaction at low death rate in Odisha like all over Asia, the PPC chief asked Chief Minister to take an objective view and take action as deemed appropriate.