Lockdown meaningful if testing is intensified says Akhilesh Yadav

Lucknow, Apr 13: Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav said that the extension of the ongoing nationwide lockdown will be meaningful only if COVID-19 testing is intensified and people get access to essential items.

"The demand to extend the lockdown will be meaningful only if COVID-19 testing is intensified, health workers get protection and the public gets access to essential items, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said in a tweet in Hindi.

To end the problem of cash crunch, arrangements have to be made at village and colony level along with banks."

In another tweet, the SP chief took a jibe at the state government for changing the emergency response number from 100 to 112.

"Even after changing the name or the number, those who are helped, those whose lives are saved, they always remember the original motivator.

The success of these public welfare systems gives immense satisfaction about our own work," he tweeted.

On October 26, last year Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had launched an all-encompassing emergency helpline number '112' to access police, fire brigade, ambulance and other services under the Emergency Response Support System here.

He also launched a senior citizen safety initiative 'Savera'. Dial 100 was launched by the Akhilesh Yadav government in 2016.

"This single helpline number 112 will reduce the response time. Route chart of 112 should be prepared and positioning at district, station level should be done," Adityanath had said at the launch event.

He said people do not need to remember different numbers for different tasks now. All emergency services have been integrated for the task.