LS Speaker suggests setting up control rooms in legislatures to aid efforts in dealing with COVID-19

New Delhi [India], April 20 Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday suggested that presiding officers may set up control rooms in their legislatures which may be used by the people's representatives to report difficulties of people to the government in the situation created by COVID-19.

Birla, who is Chairman of All India Presiding Officers' Conference (AIPOC), chaired a meeting of presiding officers of the legislative bodies in India on 'Prevailing COVID-19 Situation - Role and Responsibility of Public Representatives' on Monday.

Apart from the presiding officers of state legislatures, ministers of parliamentary affairs, chief whips and leaders of opposition in state legislatures also joined the virtual meeting.

Birla noted that after more than a year of the crisis of COVID-19, the pandemic has resurfaced with new challenges. He said that the new strain of corona infection is spreading more rapidly than last year which is a matter of grave concern.

He said that governments are making all necessary efforts at their level and in this hour of crisis, the legislature also has to fulfill its duty more promptly. He exhorted the people's representatives to fulfill their duties in the spirit of solidarity and contribute to the society and the country in getting relief from the pandemic.

He urged the presiding officers to sensitize the public through the people's representatives to follow the coronavirus protocols.

Giving suggestions, Birla said people's representatives may engage with social orgzations to check the spread of the pandemic.

"All representative institutions including the gram panchayats and local bodies in urban areas may be motivated to make extensive efforts to reduce the coronavirus infection. Presiding officers may set up control rooms in their legislatures which may be used by the people's representatives. This will help in channelizing the relevant information and difficulties of the public to the government," he said.

He said if there is any issue related to the central government, it may be forwarded to the Lok Sabha Control Room. "With this, a joint platform the state legislatures and the Lok Sabha will be evolved which will prove effective in curbing this menace," he said.

He urged the presiding officers to share their best practices with each other so that a standard procedure and an SOP could be developed to deal with the pandemic.

( With inputs from ANI )