Morung Express News
Dimapur | May 27
The question of ‘panel of experts’ in response Nagaland’s management COVID-19 continued today with the NPCC questioning the manner in which the panel was constituted as well and lack of local experts in the panel.
The belated move to constitute an advisory panel of experts to give its expert opinion on emergency response of COVID-19 to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) and State Executive Committee (SEC) is a welcome step, the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) stated today in a rejoinder.
“However, by concealing the order of constituting an advisory panel until it was revealed through a particular local daily” the state government has exposed its own “insecurities and inability to inspire confidence in the people,” it said.
With the continued surge in cases in the State, key point opposition parties in the state has upped the ante against the State Government over the handling of the second wave particularly on advisory panel of experts.
While first salvo was fired by a unmanned legislator from the main opposition Naga People’s Front (NPF) on May 25, the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC), in a letter addressed to Chief Minister of Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio, argued next day that the ‘government should be guided by qualified experts’, adding that the subject matter scientists, experts, researchers and certified opinions are required.
In the intervening period, a spokesperson for the High Powered Committee (HPC) on May 26 shared informed that along with the Advisory Panel of Experts for emergency response of COVID-19, the Committee is advised by other specialists in various many other areas.
Panel of Experts
Besides the Advisory Panel of Experts for emergency response of COVID-19, the HPC is advised by Specialists in Preventive & Social Medicine, Public Health Specialists, Team of clinicians, Epidemiology Intelligence Service (EIS) and consultants from WHO and UNICEF, HPC’s spokesperson and Advisor, Mmhonlumo Kikon updated on Twitter.
He further shared the May 13 notification of the constitution of the Advisory Panel of Experts comprising of Dr Satish Ranjan Sr Scientist, Molecular Immunology, Drug Development to fight Corona University Hospital, Magdeburg, Germany; Col Sanjay Srivastava, Emergency Response, Chemical and Biological Warfare CROPC-MoES New Delhi; and Dr Manoj Murhekar Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Preventive & Social Medicine, Disease Surveillance and Outbreak Investigations Director, National Institute of Epidemiology, New Delhi.
The services of the Advisory panel of Experts shall be utilized by the SDMA/SEC for a period of one year through virtual Consultation or any other means of communication, it added.
Meanwhile, the rejoinder from NPCC Communications Department further maintained as the three experts are all from outside the state and would be communicating virtually, there is “much to be desired.”
“A situation may arise when the advisory panel, bereft of understanding real time ground situation may become counterproductive in our battle against this pandemic,” it maintained.
In this context, the NPCC called for including “more number of eminent people from the state” in the panel “for effective monitoring and controlling this raging pandemic situation.”
Relying more on ‘adhocism’?
The NPCC further accused the State Government of being clueless in “functioning and relying more on adhocism” ever since the pandemic lockdown began in March 2020.
When the provisions of the National Disaster Management Act, 2005 was invoked for the first time on 24th March 2020, it automatically meant the SDMA under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister and the SEC headed by Chief Secretary were to take full control of the extraordinary situation, it maintained.
However, contrary to provisions of NDMA Act, an ‘Empowered Committee’ headed by an Additional Chief Secretary was entrusted for over two months and it was only on June 2 that the state cabinet constituted a HPC headed by Chief Minister, which has been functioning till today, it added.
“By deviating from the provisions of NDMA to have HPC instead of SDMA taking control, whether intentional or out of ignorance, the State Government has only exposed its shortcomings and ill preparedness from the very beginning,” it accused.
Further alleging that the State Government so far preferred to act through HPC rather than constitutionally mandated SDMA, the NPCC said that the ‘deviation’ from NDMA 2005 at the top “goes down to the level of some villages and colonies enforcing their own lockdown rules, thereby making a mockery of entire system.”
In this regard, it urged the state government o stick to provisions of NDMA 2005 through SDMA “instead of duplicating works through HPC, as decisions taken by HPC are not legally enforceable if one goes by the law.”
It must be noted here that while most legislators including opposition members are assigned separate districts, each District Task Force on COVID-19 is headed by the Deputy Commissioner as Chairperson, Chief Medical Officer as Member Secretary, and members from different medical background.
