We will have to increase Covid-19 testing in Delhi by adopting new solutions: Amit Shah at all-party meet

New Delhi, June 15

All political parties in Delhi should forget their differences and join hands in the COVID-19 battle of the National Capital, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Monday after chairing an all-party meet.

Leaders of the BJP, the Aam Aadmi Party, the Congress and the BSP attended the meeting.

Shah appealed to the four parties to ask their workers to help in ensuring the ground implementation of the Delhi government’s coronavirus guidelines.

These steps will enhance public trust and the COVID-19 situation in Delhi will improve soon, Shah said.

All parties should forget their political differences and work together for the people of Delhi, he said after the meeting.

“We will have to increase COVID-19 testing in Delhi by adopting new solutions,” the Home Minister said.

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The meeting was held in the wake of a spurt in novel coronavirus cases in Delhi.

Shah also apprised the leaders of the steps taken to check the coronavirus pandemic and sought their views on the issue, a home ministry official said.

Over 41,000 people were infected with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Delhi and it has claimed more than 1,300 lives so far.

The number of Covid-19 cases in Delhi is the third highest in the country after Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

On Sunday, the home minister had held two high-level meetings with Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, mayors and commissioners of Delhi's three municipal corporations to strengthen the strategy to fight the coronavirus.

Shah had announced that Covid-19 testing would be doubled in Delhi in the next two days and subsequently tripled.

Announcing a slew of measures after the meeting, Shah said Covid-19 tests would be started at every polling station in the containment zones and a comprehensive house-to-house health survey would be conducted in the hotspots for contact-tracing.

In view of shortage of beds for coronavirus patients in Delhi, the Modi government had decided to immediately provide 500 railway coaches, which would be equipped with all facilities, Shah said.

He added that a committee had been constituted under the chairmanship of NITI Aayog member VK Paul to ensure the availability of 60 per cent beds by private hospitals at lower rates and fix the rates of tests and treatment. PTI