'Situation May Turn Grim': Mamata Writes to Modi, Requests More Vaccines

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(Image: Altered by The Quint)

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday, 5 August, stated that the COVID situation in Bengal may turn worse if vaccine supply in not augmented.

In the letter, Mamata Banerjee requested for 14 crore additional doses of COVID-19 vaccine to inoculate West Bengal’s eligible population. According to the COWin Dashboard, as of 5 August, 3,12,09,987 people have been vaccinated in West Bengal.

According to news agency PTI, Mamata mentioned that they were administering only four lakh doses per day when they are capable to administer 11 lakh doses.

"We are getting much lower number of doses despite having a very high population density and a higher rate of urbanisation.”

Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister, West Bengal as quoted by PTI

She also alleged that she had sent several letters to the PM on the same matter earlier have “not received due attention” from the Centre.

PTI quoted in the letter Mamata Banerjee also said: "I am sorry to say the central government is providing a larger number of vaccine doses to other states. I have no problem if any other state receives higher number of vaccine doses, but I cannot remain a mute spectator to see Bengal deprived”.

Bengal's Advisory Board Discuss Impending COVID Third Wave

Mamata also held a Global Advisory Board meeting on Thursday to discuss concerns over the impending third wave of COVID-19. She urged the PM to not discriminate among states, reported news agency ANI.

The body was set up by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to advise the state government on issues related to the pandemic. It was headed by Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee.

Abhijit Baenerjee criticised the centre for not generating enough supply of COVID vaccines for the country.

“The biggest problem is that Centre is not capable of generating supply of vaccines for the country. If there were enough vaccines, these claims wouldn't have arisen. We have not received the promised level of supply for the entire nation,” reported ANI, quoting Mamat Banerjee.

The state is also dealing with incessant rain and thunderstorms, which have led to flooding in large parts of six districts, killing at least 15 people and displacing nearly three lakh.

“Gujarat, UP, and Karnataka have received enough doses of COVID vaccines. I don't discriminate among people. Bengal has received fewer vaccines as per its density of population. I would request the Centre and appeal PM not to discriminate among states,” reported ANI, quoting Banerjee.

Hooghly, Howrah and West Midnapore are the worst-affected districts by the floods. In Hooghly alone, nearly 79,000 people have been affected, while crops and livestock worth lakhs of rupees have been destroyed.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)