Why are we in hurry: Parliamentary Panel expresses concern over resuming international flights amid Omicron scare

New Delhi: As India reported the first two cases of the new COVID-19 variant Omicron, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health expressed its concern over the scheduled resumption of international flight operations from December 15.

“The parliamentary panel committee questioned the health ministry officials in the meeting which was held on Wednesday that why we are in a hurry to resume international scheduled flight operations….new variant of COVID-19 is spreading across the world,” a committee member told ANI.

The committee member further said that the committee members raised several questions related to preparedness and infrastructure to the health ministry in the country amid the new variant of COVID-19.

The committee has convened a meeting to discuss considering the adoption of three draft reports relating to AYUSH and health and research issues.

In view of the threat of the new variant of COVID-19, the committee discussed and expressed its seriousness over the matter even when it was not on the agenda with due permission to the committee chairman.

The parliamentary committee on health meeting was called on Wednesday to consider and adopt three draft reports (130th Action Report, 131st Report on DFG 2021-22 relating to Ministry of AYUSH and 132nd Report on DFG 2021-22 relating to Department of Health Research).

The MoS for Civil Aviation Ministry Retd. General Vijay Kumar Singh had earlier announced that the Centre has been decided to resume scheduled international flights from December 15 under tremendous pressure from the public.