Haryana recalls 5 IAS officers from training as Covid cases surge, sets up oxygen control room

The officers, posted as deputy commissioners, were on 40-day induction training, at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie, which was until 14 May.

Relatives of Covid patients wait to refill cylinders with medical oxygen in Gurugram (file photo) | PTI

Chandigarh: The Haryana government has recalled five of its IAS officers from training in wake of the Covid-19 crisis in the state.

The officers, posted as deputy commissioners, were on a 40-day induction training, at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie, which was to last until 14 May.

A senior officer in the Haryana government confirmed the development, saying that the five officers would rejoin their duties in the state by Thursday morning.

The officers include Yashpal Yadav, deputy commissioner, Faridabad; Yashender Singh, deputy commissioner, Rewari; Jaibir Arya, deputy commissioner, Bhiwandi; Naresh Narwal, deputy commissioner, Palwal and the Fatehabad deputy commissioner Narhari Bangar.

The five officers were on mandatory training following their induction into the IAS from the Haryana Civil Services.

“However, given the spiralling number of Covid cases in the state, government officials are coming under tremendous pressure and so it was decided that district heads of administration should be on duty during this crisis,” said the senior officer quoted above requesting anonymity.

Haryana’s Covid-19 measures

On Tuesday, the Haryana government had announced imposition of Section 144 across the state. Apart from ensuring strict implementation of the orders, deputy commissioners have been asked to provide a blueprint for oxygen beds, oxygen storage capacity and other requirements including ventilators in all the private and government hospitals of their districts by 10 am Thursday. 

Haryana Chief Secretary Vijay Vardhan has directed the deputy commissioners to strictly follow Covid-19 protocols in areas marked as micro-containment zones, which are tagged as such depending on the proportion of positive cases to population. 

Last week, the state government had announced imposition of Section 144 in the five worst-affected districts — Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonipat, Hisar and Karnal.

Apart from Gurugram, which is witnessing the state’s highest surge in daily cases, Faridabad is also reporting a rising number of Covid positive cases, the second highest in the state. In a week, the number of active cases in Faridabad has increased from 7,000 cases on 21 April to almost 11,000 by Tuesday.

The district is also witnessing a huge influx of spillover Covid positive patients looking for beds, specially intensive care facilities, from other parts of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

Apart from Gurugram and Faridabad, Hisar and Rewari too have been reeling under a severe shortage of oxygen in their private hospitals leading to at least two incidents in which nine patients have died in two private hospitals allegedly due to disruption of oxygen supply.

Officers tasked with additional work

Senior officers have been given additional duties to deal with the situation arising out of the spiralling cases.

Vijayendra Kumar, principal secretary, Industries and Commerce Department, has been appointed as the nodal officer for the State Oxygen Control Room for monitoring and coordination of proper oxygen supply in the state. 

Besides this, the government has also deputed three IAS and six HCS officers in the State Oxygen Control Room, to assist the nodal officers.

The oxygen control room has been set up at Haryana Civil Secretariat, Chandigarh. The helpline number of the control room is 0172-2740833.

The control room has been tasked with performing several vital functions including ensuring safe movement of oxygen tankers from manufacturing plants to the concerned districts. The control room will also ensure that each district is informed of daily allocation as issued by the Health Department. The control room will also attend to emergent requests from the deputy commissioners.

(Edited by Arun Prashanth)