Launch aggressive vax drive, Ashwani Kumar urges PM

Gurdaspur, May 9

Former Union Minister Ashwani Kumar has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to commence an “aggressive” vaccination drive keeping in mind “particular vulnerabilities” of Punjab.

In a letter to the PM, Kumar said: “While all states must receive their due, the national formula for allocation of oxygen and vaccines need to factor in the special circumstances of the states. The Punjab and Haryana High Court has also observed in an ongoing litigation that the situation in the state is critical.”

He said: “Regarding the availability of oxygen, the current demand of the state is 280 MT per day as against the availability of 180 MT. This demand could increase substantially in the days ahead for which it is necessary to keep a reasonable buffer.”

Kumar said: “The already strained medical infrastructure in the state is under stress. Despair and helplessness resulting from the fear of the virus can cause added law and order problems in the border state. One of the major constraints being faced by Punjab is the non-availability of tankers for transportation of oxygen. These need to be made available to the state at the earliest in addition to a maximum number of oxygen concentrators for use by those who need them in the far-flung border districts of Gurdaspur, Amritsar and Tarn Taran.” — TNS

Get vaccinated: AAP to people

AAP MLA Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer on Sunday requested people of Punjab to come forward and get the necessary doses of Covid-19 vaccine. Hayer, who is also AAP youth wing president, said the vaccine was necessary to help bring down the mortality rate.