Coolers, fans, shade: Protesters at borders prepare a summer plan
NEW DELHI: Tarpaulin tents at the Capital’s borders will soon be replaced with mosquito nets, fans and coolers will replace the braziers and fireplaces, while water coolers will outnumber water tankers as farmers protesting against the three new farm laws at Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri began to chalk out plans for the summer, as concerns began to emerge among union leaders that the heat may force crowds away. Scientists at the India Meteorological Department had on Wednesday said winter was on its way out as temperatures in the Capital begin their steady rise.
Mannu Tyagi, a member of the Bhartiya Kisan Union who has been camping at Ghazipur, said coolers and fans have already been ordered. “We expect them to arrive by the end of this month. Other items we may need for the summer are also being purchased. All arrangements will be made to minimise the discomfort to protesters, so that the agitation continues without any hurdle,” Tyagi said.
Farmers unions at Ghazipur have placed also placed orders for water coolers, mosquito
nets, plastic sheets and summer tents, protesters aware of the matter said.
On Thursday, announcements were made from the stage at the Ghazipur border, assuring protesters that steps are being taken to prepare the protest site for summer. “All of us need to keep the movement going. Don’t worry about the weather —the Kisan Ekta Morcha is all set to make arrangements for summers. We faced problems in winters, but came together overcame it,” the speaker said.
Mahender Pal Singh, 44, a farmer from Muzaffarnagar, who came to Ghazipur border
after January 26, said they are planning to remove the tarpaulin covering their tent. “These sheets can be replaced with mosquito nets and we will sleep under the sky. During the day, desert coolers and fans will keep us cool. We are planning to go home and return with pedestal fans and coolers. We will also bring our summer clothes,” Singh said.
Rajbir Singh, a farmer from Baghpat said a shade will be erected to protect protesters from the sun. “Water coolers and ice will be so that everyone gets cold water. Drinks will be served to keep the agitators hydrated. More water will also have to be arranged,” he said.
The organisers said they are also in touch with gurdwara committees to arrange for the amenities needed to keep the movement going during the summers.
Farmers at Singhu border also said if the government does not repeal the farmers, they will make arrangements for summers from March.
Daniel Moosa, an independent farmer from Patiala, Punjab, said if they need to continue the protest longer they are planning to set up shades. “We cannot have a sit-in protest under the sun. We will need shades. We are also planning to bring in more get generators to run the fans and coolers uninterrupted, in case the government disconnects the power supply. Our farmer leaders keep holding meetings. They are also planning to install solar panels to save cost of running generators,” said Moosa, who has been camping at Singhu border November 26 onwards.
NEW DELHI: The Delhi budget this year will focus on health, basic infrastructure and transport, senior officials who are drafting the document said, adding that the government is likely to announce free Covid-19 vaccines for all and a cloudbased patient information management system.
They said government may hold the budget session of the Delhi assembly between March 12 and 20 which will the first after the Covid-19 pandemic. In the last budget (2020-21), which came soon after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) swept to power in the February 8 assembly elections last year, the government allocated ₹7,704 crore for the health sector, nearly 3% more than the previous fiscal. Health may get the highest allocation this year, the officials said.
“Among the big-ticket healthcare projects to be announced this year will be the cloud-based health information management system (HIMS). The chief minister has issued directions to roll out the project by August this year. It will start with Delhi government hospitals and then expanded to dispensaries and mohalla clinics. Upgrading a couple of hospitals with increased bed capacity is also on the cards,” said a senior health department official on condition of anonymity.
The HIMS project envisages digital health cards for patients, which will be essentially a QR code-based system that will keep a record of clinical details such as health checks, followups, surgeries, medications and vaccinations for each patient. The system is also supposed to include a mobile phone application as well as a 24x7 call centre to help patients with health-related information, fix consultations and other assistance.
In its past budgets, the AAP government has consistently allocated the maximum share of its resources for education, followed by health. This year, the health sector is likely to get an increased allocation.
Last year, the government allocated ₹15,815 crore for education, an increase of 1.3% from the previous year.
“In last year’s budget, the government allocated ₹50 crore in the Covid-19 management fund. This is likely to continue this year and will be increased in all likelihood as the focus shifts to vaccination. The Delhi government is working on making Covid vaccine free for the general public. The Central government has made it free only for healthcare workers and frontline workers,” said a second health official.
With elections in the three Bharatiya Janata Party (Bjp)-ruled municipal corporations scheduled next year, senior AAP leaders said the government is also finding additional ways to optimise resources so as to ease the financial crisis faced by the three civic bodies.
The bypolls to five municipal wards will be held on February 28, and the AAP is eyeing these seats to increase its stake in the city’s municipal affairs, a senior member of Delhi’s ruling party said.
Between January 5 and 25, the government issued orders to all departments asking them to tighten their expenses by prioritising projects under their jurisdiction.
The transport sector may also get a higher outlay this year as the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) will start bringing in its new 1,000 low-floor buses and the first lot of the electric buses will also be brought in.
“DTC’S order for buses alone accounts for ₹893 crore with an additional annual maintenance cost of ₹300 crore in the first year since rolling out of these buses. The revised estimate for the transport sector in 2020-21 was about ₹5,000 crore, this is likely to touch ₹7,000 crore in the 2021-22 budget,” said a senior transport official.