As Bengaluru has seen a steep rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in the recent weeks, Ministers will be put in charge of micromanaging the government’s efforts to control the pandemic in eight BBMP zones besides the deployment of eight IAS officers to handle the situation.
The decision by the State Cabinet on Thursday follows a detailed deliberation of COVID-19 situation in Bengaluru and also in the State. The Chief Minister has decided to appoint a Minister as in-charge for each zone in Bengaluru for effective management and to control the pandemic, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J.C. Madhuswamy told presspersons after the Cabinet meeting.
Incidentally, the BBMP war room report shows that with the spike in cases, the city has overtaken Kolkata, which has 7,680 cases.
Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan, seven Ministers — K. Sudhakar, R. Ashok, S. Suresh Kumar, V. Somanna, S.T. Somashehar, Byrathi Basvaraj, K. Gopaliah, and the Chief Minister’s political secretary S.R. Vishwanath, who represent different constituencies in the city, will be in charge of eight zones.
While the Ministers will lead the efforts in each zone, the State government also deployed eight IAS officers to assist the Ministers. They are Tushar Girinath (East zone), Rajendra Kumar Kataria (West zone), Munish Moudgil (South zone), P. Manivannan (Bommanahalli), Naveen Raj Singh (Yelahanka), N. Manjula (Mahadevapura), P.C. Jaffer (Dasarahalli), and R. Vishal (Rajarajeshwarinagar). Zonal officers will help take fast decisions on checking the spread of the pandemic, an order issued here by Chief Secretary T.M. Vijay Bhaskar said.
Sources in the Chief Minister’s Office said Ministers will lead the effort in each zone and legislators will assist at the Assembly level and BBMP councillors will assist at the ward level.
“A 15-member volunteer group will be formed in each of the ward. Persons with symptoms or requiring help can call the volunteers whose phone numbers will be widely shared in the ward,” sources said.