From Lockdown to Vaccine Distribution, Third Wave of COVID to Pollution Crisis: What Transpired at PM-CMs Meeting?

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray informed PM Narendra Modi that he is in constant touch with Adar Poonawalla of Serum Institute of India (SII) and that the state has formed a task force to ensure timely distribution of vaccine.

Updated: November 24, 2020 3:27 PM IST

By India.com News Desk | Edited by Surabhi Shaurya

modi cm meeting today

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday held a virtual meet with the chief ministers of the eight states where COVID-19 have seen a sudden rise post the festive season and discussed the situation arising due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel attended the meeting. Home Minister Amit Shah was also present.

The meeting comes a day after the Supreme Court noted that the COVID-19 situation is likely to worsen in December and all states have to be ready to combat it.

“We are of the view that the immediate steps are required to be taken by all the States as well as by the Union of India. Let status report, as indicated, be filed within two days from today and the matter be listed on November 27, 2020 for consideration and passing appropriate orders”, the top court had said.

Here’s what the chief ministers said:

Delhi: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal informed PM Modi that Delhi saw a peak of 8600 COVID19 cases on 10 November in the third peak. Since then cases and positivity rate are steadily decreasing. The high severity of the third wave is due to many factors including pollution: Delhi Chief Minister’s Office said.

CM Kejriwal also sought PM’s intervention to get rid of pollution due to stubble burning from adjoining states especially given recent bio decomposers. He also asked for the reservation of additional 1000 ICU beds in central govt hospitals till the third wave lasts.

Maharashtra: Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray informed PM Narendra Modi that he is in constant touch with Adar Poonawalla of Serum Institute of India (SII) and that the state has formed a task force to ensure timely distribution of vaccine and executing the vaccination programme.

West Bengal: We are ready to work with Central and all other stakeholders to ensure speedy and universal vaccination for everyone as soon as the vaccine is available, said CM Mamata Banerjee.

What PM said? 

PM Modi asserted that India is in a better situation than other countries when it comes to recovery and fatality rates.

“Seeing good recovery rates, many think the virus is weak and they’ll recover soon, this has led to rampant carelessness. Those working on vaccines are doing it but we need to focus on ensuring that people are alert & transmission is curbed. We’ve to bring positivity rate under 5%”, he said.

On vaccines, he said that the government of India is keeping a track of each development in vaccine development. “We are in touch with Indian vaccine developers and manufacturers. We are also in touch with global regulators, governments of other countries, multinational orgs & international companies”, PM added.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Karnataka Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that PM wants India to be ready to implement the vaccination on a priority basis in different sectors. Priority sectors are health workers, people above 50 years and persons with comorbid conditions. PM has given clear directions on it

Haryana CM said, “We have been told to make a strategy to make the vaccine available to the general public. As it is not possible to give vaccines to all at once. In the first phase, the vaccine will be provided to health care personnel and people who need it the most.”

“In the second phase vaccine will be given to essential service providers and then there will two phases in which there will be age-wise distribution”, he added.

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