Itanagar: Cutting across party affiliations, the members of the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly on Monday appreciated the Pema Khandu-led government for its fight against Coronavirus.
Participating in the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address, senior Congress member Ninong Ering, said notwithstanding all constraints the way the Pema Khandu government had tackled the Covid-19 pandemic is appreciable.
“During Covid pandemic the way our Arunachal government headed by Chief Minister Pema Khandu handled the situation is commendable,” Ering said.
The Congress lawmaker said, “Covid-19 became a blessing in disguise because in our hospitals now there are facilities of ICU and ventilators. If any pandemic like situation arises in future, we will ably tackle it.”
He also appreciated health workers, police and civil administration, NGOs, elected representatives, civil society organisations and public leaders for their role in the fight against Covid.
The Congress lawmaker also lauded the Centre for providing free rations under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY) during the Coronavirus induced lockdown.
Advocating a ‘fair’ distribution of funds allocated under the massive Rs 400 crore package for infrastructure development of all health facilities across the state, he demanded the government to provide funds for the only Referral Hospital (FRU) at Ruksin in East Siang district.
He also suggested the government to pay attention to the development of roads in far-flung areas.
While another Congress lawmaker Wanglin Lowangdong congratulated all the healthcare workers and frontline warriors who have rendered their yeoman services for humanity by risking their own life and safety.
“Due to the hard work of our Covid warriors we have zero active case at present. However, that does not mean that we have to be complacent and un-guarded. Guard is to be always there because this virus has raised its head in different places in different variants. So care is the utmost concern for all of us,” he said.
The Congress MLA said, “The Covid situation in the state has awakened our government and the people and concerns of our health. Although some good works have been initiated or being contemplated to do so we still need a long way to go. The journey is arduous, difficult and the goal is yet to be reached. ‘Health for all’ should be our motto’.
Talking about his home district, Lowangdong said, District Hospital Khonsa which has been declared as General Hospital, unlike other GH, doesn’t have an OT facility. Only a few specialists have been posted there and for minor operations even now people have to travel to neighbouring Assam.
He suggested the state should have a ‘robust’ healthcare system that will provide the basic health facilities for the healthy growth of our citizens.
Mentioning that TCL (Tirap, Changlang and Longding) districts have been suffering immensely for the last 25 years due to the rise of insurgency, he said, people of these three districts have undergone a tremendous pain and they need a ‘healing touch’, adding “the Government of the day must give a proper emphasis and plan for these three districts”.
National People’s Party (NPP) MLA Tarin Dakpe while appreciating the Khandu government for ‘effectively’ handling the Covid situation suggested according to priority for creation of health infrastructure in the newly created five districts including his native district, Kamle.
BJP member Laisam Simai said that despite limited healthcare facilities, financial constraint, the Pema Khandu-led government has performed exceptionally well in tackling the Covid situation.
Earlier, the discussion on the motion of thanks on the Governor’s address was moved by BJP lawmaker Wanglam Sawin which was seconded by Kento Jini.
