Agra (Uttar Pradesh): The Chief Medical Officer and the Additional Director of Medical and Family Welfare of Agra were removed from office by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday after five farmers from the city got their heads tonsured demanding the CMO’s removal for “failing” to control the spread of coronavirus disease.
Special Officer Dr RC Pandey has been asked to take charge as the new Agra Chief Medical Officer, while the erstwhile CMO, Dr. Mukesh Kumar Vats, has been assigned with the District Magistrate's Office.
Led by farmer leaders Shyam Singh and Jaipal Singh, the farmers from Rohta area of Agra had threatened that they would continue the protest until their demands are met.
“We have witnessed that the CMO is not fulfilling his responsibility. He hasn’t stepped out of the office for the past two months. He hasn’t visited any of the affected areas. Ever since the outbreak of the coronavirus disease in Agra, the CMO made no preparations to deal with the disease,” said Shyam Singh.
Apart from demanding the removal and replacement of Former CMO by a younger officer, the protesting farmers also demanded sanitisation of Rohta where a 60-year-old woman was recently diagnosed with COVID-19.
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“A 60-year-old woman in Rohta area was diagnosed with COVID-19, but the area has not been sanitised in clear negligence of duty. We request the CMO to sanitise our area so that we can live without the fear of contracting the virus,” said Jaipal Singh.
As of Monday morning, Agra has reported over 20 deaths and 756 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the highest in the state, followed by Kanpur Nagar (301) and Lucknow (250).
