Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday reviewed the COVID-19 situation in Pune district, which has recorded more than 78,000 cases so far and seen a spurt in infections in recent weeks.
He chaired a meeting of elected representatives, including MP and MLAs, and took stock of the COVID-19 situation and the local administration’s response to the pandemic so far.
This was Thackeray’s first visit to Pune since the COVID-19 outbreak more than four months ago. At the meeting, elected representatives put forth their views on the situation and suggested steps to curb the spread of the viral disease which has killed more than 1,800 people so far in the district.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray, ministers Dilip Walse-Patil, Dattatray Bharne, Pune Mayor Murlidhar Mohol, Kothrud MLA and state BJP president Chandrakant Patil and other elected members from Pune and neighbouring Pimpri-Chinchwad were present at the meeting.
Patil, speaking to reporters after the meeting, said elected representatives cutting across parties in one voice emphasised on the need of ramping up medical facilities in terms of arranging more oxygenated and ICU beds in city hospitals.
“It was discussed that the number of cases will go up but patients should get proper medical facilities,” he said. The former BJP minister said the local administration is thinking of setting up three jumbo hospitals for COVID-19 patients in Pune as part of mitigation measures.
“Setting up of these facilities will take some time and the number of patients is increasing every day so there is a need to ramp up medical facilities in the existing hospitals and this demand was put forth by everyone before the Chief Minister,” the BJP legislator said. However, no concrete answer was received on this demand, Patil said.
