Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha on Thursday served a suspension of business notice under rule 267 in Rajya Sabha for a discussion on the "impending threat from the new variant and the Government's preparedness to tackle the same." In his letter, Raghav Chadha also demanded an immediate closure or suspension of flights from China as the country has been witnessing its highest-ever surge in COVID-19 cases. Chadha, in a notice to Parliament, said the Indian government ignored and downplayed the early signs of the pandemic and the devastating second wave at the beginning and end of 2020. Delays in managing international air connectivity and taking effective early measures caused the virus to spread uncontrollably across the country.
A newswire quoted a Government official who stated, "We don’t have any direct flights from China to India or from India to China but as of now, there is no such order issued to stop connecting flights to India which is coming via China. MoCA is an executing ministry, the final decision will come from MoHFW"
Notably, the Union Health Minister today convened a meeting with a team of experts in Delhi, to review the Covid-19 situation in the country. The meeting was attended by secretaries of health and Ayush ministries, the Department of Pharmaceuticals and Department of Biotechnology, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director General Rajiv Bahl, Member (Health) of NITI Aayog V K Paul and National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) Chairman N L Arora and other senior officials.
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However, after the meeting was concluded there was nothing related to the suspension of flights from China was mentioned. The Union Health Ministry urged the States to remain on alert and COVID protocols. The government of India also urged citizens to opt for the booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in order to remain immune from the new Omicron variant which is wrecking havoc in China.