Radha Soami sect offers centre for Covid care

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, April 24

The Kangra district administration has proposed to set up 500-bed Covid hospital equipped with oxygen facility at the Radha Soami sect regional headquarters in Paror.

Sources here said the sect had offered its over 300-kanal preaching centre for corona patients. The centre is equipped with modern kitchen facilities and toilets. It could accommodate thousands of people. Last year also, during the lockdown, the sect had set up a facility for the stay of thousands of patients.

Kangra DC Rakesh Prajapati said a Covid hospital for about 500 patients at Paror was being set up on the directions of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur. He also said a proposal had been sent to the government to take over a private hospital at Gaggal in Kangra.

In the district, Tanda medical college has the capacity to accommodate 108 patients, the Dharamsala Zonal Hospital 130 and Dadh hospital 40. With the increasing number of cases, the bed capacity in the district is getting exhausted.

Former minister and senior Congress leader GS Bali has questioned the preparedness of the government for tackling the second wave of the pandemic. He said it was unfortunate that the authorities were lying regarding the oxygen supply in hospitals. While the government had been claiming that four oxygen plants were functioning, the fact was that just one oxygen plant in Dharasmala was working. The failure of the authorities to get the oxygen plants functional beforehand was a serious lapse on the part of officials and action should be taken against them, he said.

Bali also questioned the unavailability of anti-viral drugs.