SHILLONG, May 25: With COVID-19 cases rising and the state’s tepid pace of vaccination, a concerned citizen has filed an RTI with the state government seeking details about the orders placed to procure COVID vaccines in Meghalaya including furnishing of all/any communication with SII/Bharat Biotech regarding the orders.
As per the RTI application, a copy of which was available with The Shillong Times, the applicant sought information on “whether the state government, through any of its departments, has placed an order(s) for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines from private vaccine manufacturer(s)”.
“If the reply to (point 1) is in the affirmative, whether the amount for the said order(s) of COVID-19 vaccines has been transferred to the private vaccine manufacturer(s). If the reply to (point 2) is in the affirmative, particulars of the amount which has been transferred to the private vaccine manufacturer(s). In response to above points (i.e point 1, point 2, point 3) to furnish any and all correspondence between the state government, through any of its departments, and the said private vaccine manufacturer(s) in regard of the order(s) of COVID-19 vaccines (sic),” the application read.
It may be mentioned here that as on 9 pm of Tuesday, a total of 4,45,985 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Meghalaya, according to official data.
Of the total number of doses administered, over 3.5 lakh have received the first dose while more than 74,000 received the second dose.
