Govt asked to increase preparedness against the pandemic

Kathmandu, August 20

The main opposition Nepali Congress today issued a press release stating that enforcement of lockdown and prohibitory order were not enough to tackle the coronavirus pandemic situation and contain the disease.

The surge in the number of COVID-19 infected people even after 120-day-long nationwide lockdown indicated that lockdown and prohibitory order were not enough to deal with the problem and the government needed to increase its preparedness to fight against the pandemic, read the statement.

Stating that more than half of the country’s territory was under lockdown and with prohibitory orders enforced at present, the main opposition party said imposition of prohibitory orders had brought Kathmandu valley to a standstill and paralysed life in the cities.

The NC has urged the government to learn lesson from its past mistakes and act on a war footing while prohibitory order is enforced to increase preparedness against the pandemic.

As the country continues to fight against the pandemic, it has also been informed of power tussle within the ruling party, reports of corruption and Prime Minister KP Oli’s controversial statements in recent weeks.

People do not want to hear such things again, the main opposition party said in its statement.

It also urged the government to provide protective gear to frontline workers, cleaning crew and media professionals, who have been working even during these challenging times.

The NC also said vulnerable groups might face difficulty in managing two meals a day due to the enforcement of prohibitory orders and the government should take care of such groups, including workers, students, unemployed youths, single women and differently-abled people. The NC also said it was with the government in its fight against the pandemic.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on August 21, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.