Akhil Gogoi, elected legislator of Sivasagar and president of Raijor Dal, has submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma where he has blamed the Central and Assam government for the current pandemic situation in the state. Claiming mismanagement Gogoi wrote, “Early into the pandemic in 2020 you had publicly promised to establish a few hospitals with the help of public donation for the treatment of COVID-19, but none happened.”
Gogoi expressed concern about the economic and social disasters that have arisen out of the pandemic and subsequent lockdown. He said that in this hour of crisis Assam should stand united to fight.
The jailed elected legislator has offered a series of suggestions to Sarma to tackle the crisis. He has asked for free vaccination for all medically eligible people of Assam. “The government should urgently consider vaccine vans so that vaccine can be rolled out at door-steps,” he wrote.
He suggested ramping up of hospital facilities with all necessary support equipment and oxygen that would go a long way. He asked for ambulance facilities for people who are under home quaratine, high quality PPE kits and other health facilities for frontline workers. “To overcome price rise, there is a need to create pool of fund. This can be used as buffer if there is uncontrollable price rise of essential goods.”
Rs. 5000 monthly grant for the economically marginalized sections has been suggested. The government must take the services of the eminent scientists of the state and other civil organisations to guide them in fighting the pandemic.
Akhil Gogoi has written about the implementation of the recommendations of the SC Das Committee immediately to provide economic relief to the people of Assam amid the pandemic. He has also appealed that the Assam government includes all political parties in this mission.
Gogoi has asked the new government to regulate prices of essential commodities.
