REPRESENTATIVE INSTITUTIONS INCLUDING GRAM PANCHAYATS AND LOCAL BODIES IN URBAN AREAS SHOULD BE MOTIVATED TO MAKE EXTENSIVE EFFORTS TO REDUCE CORONA INFECTION, SAYS OM BIRLA
Andalib Akhter / New Delhi
Lok Sabha Speaker and Chairman, All India Presiding Officers’ Conference (AIPOC) Mr Om Birla today exhorted the people’s representatives to fulfil their duties in the spirit of solidarity and humanity and contribute to the society and the country in getting relief from the COVID pandemic.
“Governments are making all necessary efforts at their level. But in this hour of crisis, the legislature also has to fulfil its duty more promptly. He exhorted the people’s representatives to fulfil their duties in the spirit of solidarity and humanity and contribute to the society and the country in getting relief from the pandemic” Mr Birla said while chairing a Meeting of Presiding Officers of the Legislative Bodies in India and other Leaders on the subject “Prevailing COVID-19 Situation – Role and Responsibility of Public Representatives” today.
Apart from the Presiding Officers of State Legislatures, Ministers of Parliamentary Affairs, Chief Whips and Leaders of Opposition in State Legislatures also joined the Virtual Meeting.
Mr Birla observed that after more than a year of the crisis of COVID-19, the pandemic has resurfaced with new challenges. He noted that the new strain of corona infection is spreading more rapidly than last year which is a matter of grave concern.
Mr Birla urged the Presiding Officers to sensitize the public, through the people’s representatives of their respective States, to follow the Corona Protocol. He asked the public representatives to create awareness that personal caution is the most potent weapon in the fight against corona infection and any negligence can prove to be extremely dangerous. Mr Birla also gave the following suggestions:
i. People’s representatives may engage with social organizations to check the spread of the pandemic.
ii. All representative institutions including the Gram Panchayats and local bodies in urban areas may be motivated to make extensive efforts to reduce the corona infection.
iii. Presiding officers may set up control rooms in their legislatures. which may be used by the people’s representatives. This will help in channelizing the relevant information and difficulties of the public to the government.
iv. If there is any issue related to the Central Government, it may be forwarded to the Lok Sabha Control Room. With this, a joint platform the State Legislatures and the Lok Sabha will be evolved which will prove effective in curbing this menace.
Mr Birla also noted that more than 12 crore people have been vaccinated so far to prevent corona infection across the country. He stressed that this vaccination programme needs to be intensified across the country. In this regard, he emphasized that the people’s representatives need to participate in the endeavors of the local administration.
He urged the Presiding Officers to share their best practices with each other so that a standard procedure and an SOP could be developed to deal with the pandemic.