Delhi LG forms high-level panel to suggest measures to tackle COVID-19 outbreak

New Delhi, June 12

Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal, on Friday, constituted a high-level committee, which included Indian Council of Medical Research Director-General Balram Bhargava, to suggest effective steps to deal with COVID-19 outbreak in the national capital, sources said.

Baijal is the chairman of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA).

The six-member panel also included two members of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria, they said.

The move came two days after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and both the leaders discussed the COVID-19 situation in Delhi.

With 34,867 COVID-19 cases so far, Delhi is in dire straits with the city recording 1,877 cases on Thursday, the highest single-day spike yet.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain has said that it’s a “war-like situation” and the city government will try every means available to get more doctors and medical staff to meet the ever-increasing requirement.

“The high-level panel will advise the DDMA on various aspects of COVID-19 management, including the integration of measures being taken by various agencies for effective mitigation. It would also help in formulating a practical approach to effectively deal with the COVID-19 crisis,” the source said.

Kejriwal had recently claimed that Delhi would need 1.5 lakh beds by July 31 if people from other states start coming to the national capital for treatment.

Another panel constituted by the lieutenant governor has suggested using Pragati Maidan, Talkatora Indoor Stadium, Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium and JLN Stadium as makeshift COVID-19 facility to deal with the surge in the number of cases.

The panel has also suggested using Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium and Dhyanchand National Stadium for the purpose. PTI