Agra, April 26 When Agra mayor Navin Jain shot out a missive to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his deputy Dinesh Sharma on April 21, appealing to save the Taj city from turning a Wuhan, the desperation and helplessness of the elected representatives was loud and clear.
Like most locals the two MPs and nine MLAs, all of the BJP, have all privately expressed concern and dissatisfaction with the approach and working of the state government machinery in Agra, which has no road map nor a strategy to deal with the Covid-19 crisis.
The Mayor whose letter leaked Saturday, said after his letter, there was discernible improvement in services.
Interestingly, Priyanka Vadra has referred to the Mayor's letter in her tweet on Sunday.
Local MP S.P. Singh Baghael met the District Magistrate and other officials to bring to their notice the problems people were facing. Baghael said people were not getting medical facilities, food supplies and were being ill-treated.
Covid-19 suspects and patients are being hounded and treated like stigmatised non-humans, allege the sufferers, family members and those directly affected. Human rights violations are on the rise, as police personnel out of frustration and over work are resorting to rough behaviour, say the victims. Three days ago, 70 patients were dispatched to Saifai hospital at midnight. However, reports from there suggest conditions are no better than Agra.
Those quarantined in Agra complain of lack of medical facilities. Even food and water are in short supply, according to messages on the social media platforms. Nodal officer senior IAS official Alok Kumar said he would try to find out how and why people were not provided emergency medical support promptly. One senior citizen two days ago died as dialysis could not be arranged. Another woman in a government hospital died as timely help could not reach her. Due to restrictions on movements, people in the hot zones are the worst sufferers.
Even as alarm signals continue to panic people, the district authorities have not responded to appeals for supply of essentials in the 80 odd hot zones. Medical services of the private sector remain paralysed. The administration on Sunday released a list of private nursing homes where medical facilities would be available round the clock.
Meanwhile, the local Lady Loyal Hospital for women, celebrated its 132nd foundation day with a record number of deliveries. Out of 154, 86 were caesarean and 68 normal deliveries.
The number of Covid-19 positive now stands at 371. Nine have succumbed to the deadly virus.
( With inputs from IANS )