Pics: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (DV)

Mangaluru, Apr 28: Former minister B Ramanath Rai on Wednesday, April 28 said, "It is the duty of the government to see that people’s livelihood does not get affected due to lockdown."

He was speaking to media persons here at Congress Bhavan.

"During the lockdown, the government should provide food kits to the needy in the district. It is the duty of the government to stop the migrant workers from going back to their natives. Also, the government should open up 'Ganji Kendra' in all the gram panchayats. Nodal officers should be appointed in each taluk to contain the spread of Covid. If the government has a will to do so, they can do all that is really necessary. But, it seems like the government lacks vision."

"It would not be wrong to say that both the state and union governments have failed to contain the spike in cases of Covid-19. The union government is discriminating against the states in the supply of oxygen."

“The government should waive electricity, water and telephone bills due to the pandemic situation in the state. Moreover, the union government should come out with a white paper on funds collected through the PM Cares Fund and on expenditure,” he said.

Rai said that the Governor, chairing a meeting when there are elected representatives, shows the inefficiency of the government. “As the Governor noticed inefficiency of the government, he chaired the meeting. Further, there is no cooperation among the ministers in the cabinet. The government should work on war footing to contain the spread by taking the opposition into confidence,” he said.

Former minister Abhaychandra Jain said, "The district in-charge minister and deputy commissioner should make the district a role model in the country when it comes to handling the Covid-19 situation."

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson Ivan D'Souza alleged that not even 5% of the people in the district received the Covid vaccine. “The state government instead of waiting for vaccines from the union government should give it from the state fund. The vaccines are going to private hospitals in black and people are not receiving the vaccines when they approach the government hospitals,” he said.