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CM Yogi’s cutting remarks at Covid-19 meet has Noida DM going on leave; new officer appointed

Hindustan Times, Greater Noida | BySanjeev K Jha
Mar 30, 2020 11:00 PM IST

The chief minister made some stinging remarks while presiding over a meeting of heads of various committees constituted for controlling the pandemic at Gautam Buddha University.

After Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday expressed his displeasure with the Gautam Budh Nagar district administration over its inability to contain the surge in Covid-19 cases in Noida, district magistrate BN Singh asked the state to relieve him of his duties, a request which was granted by evening.

Suhas LY, a 2007-batch IAS officer belonging to Karnataka, was appointed the new district magistrate and a department inquiry initiated against Singh.

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The chief minister made some stinging remarks while presiding over a meeting of heads of various committees constituted for controlling the pandemic at Gautam Buddha University.

Soon after the meeting on Monday afternoon, BN Singh wrote to chief secretary RK Tiwari, seeking three months’ earned leave on personal grounds, which was later sanctioned. When HT contacted him, BN Singh said he sought the leave on personal grounds. “I think I was not able to perform my duties as district magistrate properly, working long hours daily. I do not want to work here anymore,” he said.

With six new cases, the tally of Covid-19 cases in Gautam Budh Nagar is 38 (as on Monday evening). Of these, 25 cases are linked to security and fire solutions company, “Cease Fire”, in Sector 135, Noida. Four more positive cases linked to this company have been reported in Ghaziabad and Bareilly.

Earlier in the day, while addressing the review meeting, Adityanath had said publicity and blame game can’t cover up the failure of officials, which has turned the district into a hotbed for the infection.

“Mujhe lagta hai ki yahan kaam kam aur shor jyada hota hai (I feel that officials here talk more and work less). Alert was sounded much earlier, but it appears that it fell on deaf ears. I am done with sweet talk. If you people had pulled up your socks on time and monitored this crisis, the situation would not have been so bad,” Adityanath said.

Expressing concern over the increasing number of Covid-19 cases, the CM said more effort and willpower are needed to control the crisis. “How can a company (Cease Fire) hide its details regarding the pandemic, right under the nose of the district administration? Now, I want stern action against such violators, nothing else,” the CM said.

When the officials tried to give an explanation for this, the CM asked them to explain why they hadn’t sealed the company yet. “What are you doing for the common people? Lodging an FIR will not serve the purpose. Go and locate everyone who spread this pandemic to such a critical level,” he said.

He also issued directives to the health department to constitute teams for Gautam Buddh Nagar, Meerut and Ghaziabad to combat the spread of coronavirus disease. Adityanath said community kitchens must be made operational in each district and district magistrates should form teams to inspect these facilities.

He also said efforts should be made to spread awareness through public address system about social distancing. “Passes to employees of e-commerce companies and blood banks must be issued without delay,” he said.

Talking about the mass exodus of workers, Adityanath asked officials to chalk out a plan to regulate those industries which are not prone to spread Covid-19. “In brick kilns, the workers don’t mix with each other much and social distancing can easily be done. The district officials should contact brick kiln owners and ask them to start operations, following the norms of social distancing,” he said.

The CM also asked the officials to ensure that no deductions is from the salaries of any worker. “We must also try to provide relief in rents to tenants after talking to landlords. If possible, we must try to convince landlords to waive rents for at least one month,” he said.

After the meeting, the chief minister also visited the 100-bed isolation ward at Sharda University medical college.

The CM will visit Ghaziabad, Agra and Meerut districts Tuesday to take stock of arrangements made to check Covid-19 outbreak.

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