The Central government has urged the state governments to fast-track the ramping up of hospital infrastructure. At this critical juncture, it is the constitutional duty of the Centre to help states by extending financial help liberally for saving the lives of people. The Central government should stop the construction of its Rs 13,450-crore Central Vista project. India, being a poor country, cannot afford such a huge amount of money to be spent on this building as the existing buildings are already serving the purpose. With this amount, four-five PGI-like hospitals can be built. The government has already wasted Rs 3,000 crore on Patel’s statue in Gujarat.

SOHAN LAL BHUMBAK, CHANDIGARH

Mega vanity project

Refer to ‘Central Vista: Delhi HC to take up early hearing on plea to stop work’; it is hoped that the court will stop work on Central Vista, amidst India’s worst health crisis. As India gasps for breath and bodies pile up, massive earth movers are hungrily hollowing out the solid surface between Rashtrapati Bhavan and India Gate. What should be the country’s priority today is to provide medical oxygen, ventilators, ICU beds and more hospitals. Allowing people to die for want of oxygen, and go ahead with the project, just for vanity, is a cruel joke on the people. If you can’t give them oxygen and life-saving drugs, don’t rub salt into their wounds. Millions of our youth have lost jobs since the first lockdown last year. Hundreds of factories are shut, and the country’s economy is in the doldrums. Yet, the priority is not to create mass jobs and remove pervasive poverty, but to build Central Vista.

PS HANSPAUL, by mail

All parties to blame

Reference to ‘Let’s fight Covid crisis calmly & collectively’, every previous government is criticising the present government regarding deficiency in medical infrastructure. But every party should introspect. Most of them had ruled different states, and even the country for decades. During their tenure, medical services remained in a pathetic condition. It remained rickety throughout the seven decades after Independence. Governments gave more focus to develop private medical infrastructure which can be availed only by affluent sections of society. All parties have been negligent to develop lifeline infrastructure. In next elections, the public should prefer only those parties which have basic amenities on their agenda on priority.

Rajesh Goyal, by mail

Increase health budget

The pandemic lessons should bring practicality to the hardships we are facing and provide a direction to figure out the answer to the basic question of how much a government, either at the Centre or the state, is devoted to healthcare facilities. For India, it would be a perfect time to increase investment in healthcare, which was just 1.28% of GDP in 2019 — way lower than the average expenditure by countries clubbed among the ‘poorest’.

Inderjeet Singh, by mail

Why no lockdown?

Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh’s attitude towards the Covid situation seems to have changed since last year. Is it because of the Assembly elections to be held next year? Last year, a lockdown was imposed in Punjab by the CM on March 22, whereas the nationwide lockdown was declared by PM Modi on March 24. Now, when our neighbouring state Haryana has opted for lockdown, the Punjab CM is not in its favour. Even the weekend lockdown and other restrictions aren't being implemented strictly, unlike last year, when the police even resorted to a lathicharge on violators. Farmer unions are agitating against the weekend lockdown and no action is taken against them. Is it because the CM wants to portray himself as pro-farmer to gather their votes? Every decision seems to be centred around how the Congress can again come to power. Even some medical experts are claiming that a 15-day lockdown can improve the situation. Therefore, lockdown should be imposed in Punjab. There is no meaning of victory over corpses.

Rashpinder Singh Sidhu, by mail

Another gimmick

Politicians are gifted with a keen sense to befool people just to garner votes on the eve of elections (‘Punjab largesse’). The Punjab Government did nothing tangible to implement the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission during its four-year rule, but now, with limited time, CM Capt Amarinder Singh suddenly realised that it is a suitable time to win the favour of employees and pensioners by dangling the carrot of new scales. How can the government that failed to give DA instalments to its employees spend Rs 3,500 crore per annum for its employees? It is a tall order for the cash-strapped government. Due to the wrong policies of successive governments in Punjab, the fiscal health of the state has already deteriorated beyond restoration.

KARNAIL SINGH, Kharar

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