By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 3 Oct: Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has asked all the district magistrates to ensure regular enforcement of social distancing and wearing of masks in public places. Chairing a meeting with the DMs and senior Police Officers through video conferencing, he said that challenges in way of the control of Corona pandemic are likely to continue for next few months. He directed the officers to take all necessary steps to keep the spread of Corona under check. He said that the number of new Covid cases was coming down in Uttarakhand in the past one week but stricter vigilance was required at this hour in order to avoid a possible reversal in the trend. He asked the officers to ensure that people followed the norms in respect of physical distancing and wearing masks in all public places to prevent spread of the virus. He underlined the role of SDMs concerned and the Police Officers concerned towards this and said that the responsibility of the SDMs and Police Officer of the area concerned be fixed in ensuring the compliance of the rules. In case any complaint was received of any officer being negligent, strict action be taken against the erring officials. He added that the mindset and the behaviour of the common man needed to be transformed in order to avoid spread of Corona virus.
He also directed that FIRs be registered against those who were found to mislead others in respect of Corona through social media or other means, and strict action be taken against them. The Chief Minister said that public awareness campaigns be conducted through various means for effective control over Corona pandemic. Video and audio messages of prominent personalities and dignitaries be recorded and publicly shared to create awareness in respect of protection from Corona as such messages were likely to have good effect. Activities like online competition of articles, cartoons be held in order to create greater awareness and public interest and suggested that prizes be also given for these competitions at district and state levels. Permanent hoardings ought to be installed at religious places, crowded places for greater awareness amongst the people and to remind them of the precautions necessary for protection against the pandemic. Rawat said that more and more activities had been permitted in the Unlock-5 and that the number of tourists in the state was increasing rapidly. It was necessary to ensure that tourists be dealt with decency and in a fair manner. He said that the booths have been set up for thermal screening and sample testing at tourist sites.
The CM said that special protective measures also be taken to protect the patients of co-morbid diseases and diabetes from Covid. He directed the officials to conduct a 100 percent sampling of high risk people. He added that those found positive in rapid antigen positive be also tested with RTPCR kit and that regular monitoring be carried out of persons in home isolation. He directed the Health Department’s team to visit homes of persons in home isolation and collect complete information and health kits be also given to all the Corona patients in home isolation. The measures to prevent Corona be widely publicised by all departments.
Secretary Health Amit Negi said that economic activities were increasing rapidly. This required all concerned to be more vigilant during the work mode and note that the Corona positive rate among the youth in Uttarakhand was high and therefore special attention was required to control this. Also people be made more aware about immunity enhancing supplements. Information in this respect and regarding the protective measures and toll free numbers of the Health Department be shared through various means including the water and power bills. He also added that there be adequate manpower in all the districts to fight the pandemic over the course of next six months. Negi said that it would be the responsibility of in charge of the Corona Control room to provide quick response to all the calls received at the Control Room. The Secretary Health directed that Google Mapping be arranged at all the Covid Care Centres and the hospitals engaged in Corona work and in collection of Corona tests. DG Law and Order Ashok Kumar said that hoardings in respect of preventive measures regarding Corona had been put up at the police stations and Police Chowkis and added that a well planned strategy would be chalked out soon for crowd management and for ensuring compliance regarding masks and physical distancing as the tourism activities were rising rapidly in the state.
