India News | BJP MP Urges PM to Expand COVID-19 Vaccination Drive in Pune

Pune, Mar 23 (PTI) BJP MP Girish Bapat has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention in expanding the COVID-19 vaccination drive in Pune.

Bapat, in his letter, stated that Pune has been one of the worst-hit cities in the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The second wave of the infection has hit Pune harder than any other city in the country. From 4,587 active cases on February 11, the infections have more than quadrupled to 21,788 by March 12," the MP said in the letter.

Pune is an education hub and the COVID-19 situation has impacted lakhs of students, causing deterioration in the human capital development of an entire generation, he said.

"Pune is also a key economic centre for Maharashtra. Continuing restrictions on businesses due to the second wave, have further dented Pune's economy," Bapat said.

He further said at the current rate of immunisation in Pune, it would not be possible to inoculate the entire population of the region or for people to develop herd immunity in 2021.

"We, therefore, request to increase Pune's vaccination quota and open up vaccination for everyone above 30 years of age, to enable Pune to become India's first COVID-19-free city," the MP said.

Since the Serum Institute of India is in Pune, the proximity can fully be leveraged, he added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)