New Delhi, April 21 (TIWN) While several states claimed a shortage of Covid vaccine, it has been learnt that many states have wasted huge quantities of it. Tamil Nadu, Haryana and Punjab are three top states that reported the highest wastage of vaccines. While Kerala, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh were the states which reported zero wastage of Covid vaccine.

Tamil Nadu reported the highest vaccine wastage of over 12 per cent, followed by Haryana (9.74%), Punjab (8.12%), Manipur (7.8%) and Telangana (7.55%), according to the centre's response to the RTI query.  Over 44 lakh doses were wasted out of 10 crore doses used by states till April 11.  States that achieved the least vaccine waste are Kerala, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Goa, Daman and Diu, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep. There was "zero wastage" of doses in these states, the RTI reply said. 

Allegations of vaccine shortage have seeded a political row between the centre and states like Maharashtra, Punjab and Delhi, who allege that their vaccine allocation is less in proportion to the population compared to BJP-ruled states like Gujarat.  The back-and-forth may intensify with vaccinations being opened to all above 18 from May 1, and the centre announcing that states can buy doses directly from vaccine-makers.