The issue of coronavirus pandemic figured in the Rajya Sabha on Monday with some elders suggesting following preventive measures to fight the disease and urging the Government to instruct airlines and the Railways not to levy cancellation charges on tickets due to travel restrictions. Adjournment of the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament was also mooted to prevent large gathering.
Raising the matter of cancellation charges, Elamaram Kareem(CPM) said several States have closed educational institutions and other places to check the spread of coronavirus. Besides, public gatherings have been cancelled.
He said a large number of people have changed their travel plans and forced to cancel their air and train tickets. In this backdrop, Kareem urged the Government to intervene and ask airlines and Indian railways to forgo cancellation charges.
As several other members agreed with Kareem, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said it was a suggestion worth considering and asked the concerned ministries to have a look.
Mooting the adjournment of Parliament, S R Balasubramoniyan(AIADMK) said at any given time nearly 200 people were present in the Rajya Sabha, 500 or so in the Lok Sabha and 300 in the Central Hall. This was against the World Health Organisation(WHO) guidelines of preventing a gathering of more than 200 people, he said and said the budget session should be curtailed.
While Ram Gopal Yadav(Samajwadi Party)favoured screening of visitors at various entry points of Parliament complex as people from all over the country came here, Derek O’Brien(Trinamool Congress)stressed on following basic hygiene practices like washing hands regularly, stay at home and cover mouth while sneezing or coughing besides raising awareness at all levels in the society.
Sasmit Patra(BJD) called for sanitizing ATMs, social distancing and screening at domestic airports too. He also called for increasing the number of corona testing laboratories and said at present there were only 50 laboratories with a capacity of testing 4,500 cases.
Vikas Mahatme(BJP)drew the attention of the house to rumors about the pandemic and said rumors like consumption of chicken should be countered as it was not scientifically proven. He also urged people to refrain from visiting holy places in large numbers.
The Chairman also called for following good practices to counter the disease and asked the government to counter rumor mongering and highlight preventive steps.