Assam CM calls for efforts of public, govt to combat COVID-19 together

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday held a video conference with the Deputy Commissioners (DCs), Superintendents of Police (SPs) and Joint Directors of Health Services (Jt. DHS) of all districts and took stock of the COVID-19 scenario, flood, and erosion along with the status of implementation of various developmental schemes.

The Chief Minister appreciated the sacrifices made by grassroots level workers of various government departments in this fight against COVID-19 said, "The people and the government must work together to defeat this global pandemic as the campaign has entered into a very critical phase".

Emphasizing the need for continuing economic activities in parallel to the fight against COVID-19 and other natural calamities like flood and erosion, the Chief Minister directed the district administrations to ensure non-interruption in the implementation of developmental schemes with the excuse of the fight against COVID-19, an official release stated.

"There should not be any discrimination against the people residing in the COVID-19 hotspots", the Chief Minister stressed on the need for the district administration officials to consult with the respective public representatives of their districts before taking any measure to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

Directing the DCs to take steps for skill mapping of the returning Assam's youths from outside the state so that they could be provided adequate employment opportunities, Sonowal instructed for engaging some of those returnees in the implementation of schemes like Jal Jeevan Mission while also providing self employment opportunities through Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He further directed the Jt. DHS of all the districts to ensure the patient suffering from other ailments, apart from COVID-19, get the required medical facilities on time and instructed the SPs to prevent mass gathering in their districts which might increase the risk of rapid transmission of coronavirus.

He also instructed the DCs to plant trees to increase the forest cover in the state alongwith taking steps for making heritage sites encroachment free. He directed for expediting the work to provide land pattas to 54 thousand indigenous people by November.

Sonowal appreciated the administrations, police and forest departments of several districts for successfully curbing the menace of rhino poaching in Kaziranga National Park, Sonowal called for such sustained efforts to preserve the flora and fauna of the state in the future as well, the release added