The Uttarakhand Congress has asked that individuals engaged in the Covid-19 tests at the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar face severe consequences.
According to Garima Dasauni, a spokeswoman for the Uttarakhand Congress, the Uttarakhand High Court (HC) ordered that the administration conduct at least 50000 tests a day during the Kumbh, however, this was never done.
She stated that it has now been revealed that a considerable number of fraudulent tests were carried out during the Kumbh by private firms hired by the administration, demonstrating that corruption was deeply embedded in the event’s planning. The Haridwar district government has requested an investigation following reports of irregularities in the Covid 19 tests conducted during the Kumbh.
A commission led by Haridwar’s Chief Development Officer (CDO), Saurabh Gaharwar, is alleged to have discovered numerous inconsistencies in private agency exams. According to the investigation, up to 50 persons were registered using one ID and phone number.
Many of the people who were identified as sample collectors turned out to be Rajasthan locals who had never visited Haridwar during the Kumbh.
During the Kumbh, the data demonstrates a significant disparity in positive rates between Haridwar (2.98%) and the rest of the state (14.18%).
According to health expert Anoop Nautiyal, the ongoing probe should not be restricted to private labs but should include all government labs and institutions. He even urged that the situation be investigated by the courts. It’s worth noting that this year’s Kumbh took place in Haridwar from April 1 to 30.
According to official data, 6,00291 tests were conducted in Haridwar over this period, with 17375 of them testing positive for Covid 19. During this time, 4,42,432 tests were conducted in Uttarakhand’s other 12 districts, with 62,735 of them proving positive.
Dr. Tripti Bahuguna, the director-general (DG) of state health services, responded to the charge of inconsistencies in sample testing by saying that the problem is under investigation by the district magistrate of Haridwar and that suitable action would be taken based on the report submitted.
