Sikkim CM Tamang spearheading 'Coronavirus distribution mission': Pawan Chamling

GANGTOK: Sikkim's former chief minister Pawan Chamling, firing fresh salvoes at his successor Prem Singh Tamang, said that he is taking the "Covid-19 situation lightly and saying that the situation is under control."  He has accused Tamang of spearheading the “Sikkim coronavirus distribution mission."

The 70-year-old also asked the Sikkim Government to stop harassing people in the name of Covid guidelines and blaming people for their administrative failure.

Chamling, condemning the government for "recklessly organizing in-person programs and spreading Covid infection", urged the government to peruse the health reports carefully and to learn to value people’s lives.

"As many as 87 Covid-19 deaths in Sikkim were of those without comorbidities, which means that nearly 50 percent of those who died of Covid-19 so far, did not have comorbidities. These dear people lost their lives during the second wave. Is that a sign of a situation under control?", Pawan Chamling stated.

Pointing out that "more and more young people are falling victim to Covid-19" , Pawan Chamling added that the health report says that 61 of the 97 Covid-19 cases of Delta variant in Sikkim were below 35 years of age. "Is there no need to panic?, he asked.

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Pawan Chamling, slamming the government for shifting blame to the people for not reaching hospitals early enough, added that many people do not want to go to the hospital for various reasons.

"If Covid patients are not coming to the hospitals, it is because they are afraid and do not have confidence in the health care system. What does that show? It shows that the government needs to upgrade its Covid facilities, intensify hospital preparation for Covid treatment, employ more manpower as per the need, ensure enough rest for fatigued Covid warriors and educate and convince the people - not blame them," Pawan Chamling said.

He also opined that the "random guidelines" released by the government are making the people’s lives even more difficult.

"The idea of containing an entire area or ward merely because of one Covid positive case is not a scientific or socially helpful step. It is just an expression of governmental frustration. It is ludicrous," he said, before going on to accuse the government of imposing mass challans to "harass" and "terrorise" citizens.

Pawan Chamling has also rued "mass gatherings" which he blamed for the quick spread of the COVID-19 virus in the state.

"Another distressing news came of two individuals who attended the Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav program held at Manan Kendra in Gangtok on Wednesday now testing positive for Covid-19. The Culture Department headquarter is now a containment zone," he said, adding, "The culture department also organised a storytelling event as a part of the same program which was attended by students. When schools are running online, what a foolish and reckless idea to gather students physically!"

Pawan Chamling said that the Prem Singh Tamang-led government must constitute a high-powered committee with epidemiologists, renowned healthcare, and disaster professionals and bring the situation under control.

[caption id="attachment_97705" align="alignnone" width="520"] Sikkim's latest COVID-19 related directive on containment in villages[/caption]

The state’s COVID-19 tally rose to 24,823 on Saturday as 225 more people tested positive for the infection, while one fresh fatality pushed the Himalayan state’s coronavirus death toll to 330, a health bulletin said.

West Sikkim district reported the highest number of new cases at 81, followed by East Sikkim (72), South Sikkim (71), and North Sikkim (one).

Sikkim now has 2,849 active cases, while 21,380 people have recovered from the disease, and 264 patients have migrated to other states so far, it said.

The recovery rate among the coronavirus patients in the state stands at 87 percent. The Himalayan state has tested over 1.87 lakh samples for COVID-19 thus far, including 1,972 in the last 24 hours, the bulletin said, adding the positivity rate now stands at 11.4 percent.

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