Convert Lavasa city into jumbo COVID Care Centre: Girish Bapat

Pune, July 30, 2020: Looking at the grim situation caused due to Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the civic body is planning to expand hospital-like facilities in schools, college hostels, hotels, and other spaces where a large number of patients can be accommodated. Referring to this crisis, BJP leader and Pune MP Girish Bapat has recommended to set-up a jumbo COVID centre at Lavasa. Currently, the number of infected patients is increasing in India, especially in Maharashtra. Among the major cities, Pune has turned into a hotspot of COVID-19.

However, the district collector has a second thought on this suggestion.

The Pune district administration is anticipating the number of COVID-19 cases is likely to cross two lakhs by the end of August. Hence, the local administration is gearing up to arrange extra beds to be able to provide adequate healthcare facilities to all infected patients. Meanwhile, Bapat has suggested that the land in Lavasa be taken over for the COVID Care Center in the wake of the rising number of cases and shortage of hospital beds in the district.

The former Pune guardian minister has drawn the attention of the administration to Lavasa. He has sent a letter to the district collector in this regard and has suggested using the Lavasa land for COVID Care Center. Earlier, BJP Youth Morcha taluka working president Sagar Marne had demanded immediate setting up of COVID Care Center at Lavasa in Mulshi taluka.

Marne had written to Bapat in this regard. After that, Bapat had sent a letter to the District Collector to take immediate action in this regard. The number of patients is also increasing in Mulshi taluka and they are facing problems as beds are not available.

“The space in Lavasa is currently vacant and could be used in the fight against Corona. I urge you to take possession of the hospitals, hotels and other properties. We can create the beds for the patients and the facilities required to fight corona”, Bapat said in the letter.

He added, “Lavasa has several buildings as well as a well-equipped hospital. Very few people live there. That place could be a good place to quarantine COVID patients. There is a lot of space available there. Also, as the hospital is available at that place, there will be no additional expenses on infrastructure.”

However, he acknowledged that the proposal was being opposed by locals as the site was being reviewed by the administration.

However, District Collector Naval Kishore Ram has cast doubt on the feasibility of the proposal. “Lavasa is far away and there are some problems. It was decided to create such a facility only after considering various factors”, he said.