Mumbai: BMC has spent RS 52.38 Crore on the setting and runs the Covid Richardson and Cruddas Jumbo center in Byculla.
Although BMC has spent around Rs 2.44 Crore every month only to pay rent for the center and despite the cost of rent and operations, it remains one of the most untapped jumbo centers in Mumbai.
The Temple of Jumbo BMC center has proven to be a modifier of the game in the city fight against Covid-19.
But BMC must ensure that all existing jumbo centers are fully used and the capacity is not wasted.
Spend RS 52 Crore in the middle that does not have an ICU bed or oxygen is not acceptable.
In the end the third wave, there is a need for ICU beds, so the ICU bed and oxygen bed must be increased wherever there is a scope at the Jumbo Centers.
In April this year, after Netas’s opposition demanded BMC set oxygen beds at the center because it could hardly have a patient and there was a high request for the bed of oxygen, BMC claimed it would have 700 oxygen beds there.
However, oxygen beds do not yet exist.
In the written reply given to the Samajwadi Party MLA and Corporator Rais Shaikh, BMC stated that he had paid around RS 2.44 Crore as a monthly rent since the center setting in July 2020.
BMC has spent around Rs 30 Crore so far.
It has spent around Rs 8.22 Crore when arranging the center to have health care infrastructure such as tents and medical equipment.
BMC has also spent RS 13 Crore to conduct RT-PCR tests in the middle and on drugs and drugs related to Covid and other 43 lakh Rs on the food received there.
According to BMC data, 119 high-risk people (symptomatic but allegedly, but to be declared positively) have been treated in the middle.
7,470 passengers were quarantined there.
3,047 others (positive but asymptomatic or few symptoms) are treated in CCC2 facilities there, and 905 (positive with symptoms) treated at the special Covid Health Center there.
Since the second wave began, almost 80% of the beds in the center remained empty because most ordinary beds, while there was a struggle to get an oxygen bed and ICU.
While the center has a capacity of around 800 beds, less than half operational.
There are very few beds with oxygen support, and there are no beds with ventilators.
Shaikh said through the second wave, less than 20% of operational beds.
“BMC is an international tourist housing here.
There is a need for ICU beds with ventilators and bi-pap machines.
We have asked BMC to have 800 beds with oxygen support.
If this has been done, the whole burden of South Mumbai will be taken care of.
But BMC Haven’t done anything.
They are just a waste of public money.
Close to Rs.
2.5 Crore a month lease is not acceptable, “he said.
Shaikh was previously written to AMC (City) Sanjeev Jaiswal who asked the Civic body to start the oxygen support unit and ICU in Byculla urgently.
“The BMC has promised the center will have 700 beds with oxygen support.
They say the ‘Dura’ cylinder will be ordered and for the long term, they will install a liquid medical oxygen storage tank.
Nothing is done,” Shaikh said.