New Delhi: The Centre should talk in one voice while talking about the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic as a lot of confusion is being created currently due to differing statements by scientists, health and government authorities, members of a parliamentary panel told the Narendra Modi government Monday.
“Members both from the ruling party and the opposition pointed out that while some experts are saying the third wave will come in July-August, some are saying it will come later, and will affect children… This is creating unnecessary panic,” an MP who attended the meeting told ThePrint on condition of anonymity.
“The government should speak in one voice while talking about the third wave,” said the MP quoting the panel’s members.
The statements came as the Standing Committee on Home Affairs, led by senior Congress leader Anand Sharma, heard the views of the home secretary, health secretary and senior labour and industry officials on the socio-economic fallout of the pandemic’s second wave.
Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla and officials of the other ministries made a detailed presentation before the panel.
Many MPs wanted to know from the officials about how the government is preparing for a likely third wave.
“MPs were unanimous in their view that unlike after the first wave, the government should not dismantle the temporary health infrastructure that has been put up during the second wave. The government should not be caught off guard again … that was the general view,” said a second MP who didn’t wish to be named.
Asked about the status of vaccination by MPs, officials told the panel that the government intends to fully vaccinate at least 70 per cent of the total population by December. Giving details, health ministry officials said that India is presently vaccinating at a rate of around 30 lakh doses a day.
Officials also told the panel that the health ministry is closely monitoring the availability and supply of medical oxygen and necessary infrastructure available with states and Union territories for Covid management.
Also read: BJP has its post-second wave politics ready — from perception to expectation management
Less severe impact on migrants
Labour ministry officials told the parliamentary panel that the impact of the second wave had been less severe on migrant workers.
Compared to 1.14 crore migrant workers, who returned to their home states during the first wave last year, only 5.1 lakh migrant workers returned to their home states this year.
While the officials informed the MPs about the welfare measures taken by the government, Congress members demanded that the government give cash in hand to migrant workers and the poor, who have been the worst hit by the pandemic.
“The officials told us that they will submit a written answer before the next meeting,” said the second MP quoted above.
On Indian economy
On the economic front, the government officials informed the home affairs panel that the economy, which had started recovering after the first wave, was hit again by the second wave.
However, since the second half of May, high frequency indicators like power consumption, e-way bills and highway toll collection have been witnessing an uptick.
In their presentation, the officials also said that the industrial production registered a contraction of 8.4 per cent during 2020-21 as compared to 2019-20. Except for pharmaceuticals and medicinal products, which increased by 1.5 per cent, all industry sectors narrowed in the 2020-21 fiscal.
(Edited by Amit Upadhyaya)
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