Will implement LG Baijal's order of not reserving hospitals for Delhi residents: Arvind Kejriwal

The central government and Baijal on Monday overturned the decision of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government to reserve the state hospitals for treating Covid patients who are from the national capital.

Kejriwal told a press conference, "The decision of reserving hospitals for the residents of Delhi was overturned by the central government and LG on Monday. This is not the time for disagreement. We will implement the decision of the central government and LG."

The CM also said the Delhi government was working to arrange better facilities expecting even a bigger surge in Coronavirus cases.

"The number of Covid-19 cases is expected to touch 5.5 lakh by July 31. Keeping this in view, we are arranging 80,000 beds for the patients," Kejriwal said.

In the backdrop of LG Baijal's decision to not reserve hospitals for Delhi residents, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Tuesday said it would not be possible to arrange 80,000 beds by the end of July as half of the hospital beds in the national capital are generally occupied by non-residents of Delhi.

Though the Delhi government has launched an app to track the availability of hospital beds, several people are alleging that the hospitals are not admitting the Covid patients making people suffer. 

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on last Saturday warned the private hospitals lying about the availability of Covid beds and said such hospitals will not be spared.

Asserting that the private hospitals will have to treat Covid patients in the capital, Kejriwal said it cannot be negotiated on any terms.

Kejriwal, who was suffering from fever and cough, tested negative for Covid-19 on Tuesday. 

The union territory of Delhi, which is governed by a CM with restricted powers, has so far reported 31,309 Covid cases. 

(Image Credit: AAP Twitter)