Minister Keshab Mahanta reviews COVID-19 preparations in Sonitpur

A CORRESPONDENT

TEZPUR: State Water Resources Minister Keshab Mahanta reviewed the preparations of the Sonitpur district administration to tackle the large number of people coming home from outside the State as the district has been made a Zonal Health Screening Centre for the five North Assam districts of Udalguri, Sonitpur, Biswanath, Lakhimpur and Dhemaji.

The minister, who is in-charge for the district, praised the efforts of the Sonitpur district administration in dealing with the situation so far and asked the officials present to gear up to receive a bigger wave of people in the coming days.

At the very outset, the minister reviewed the preparations in various quarantine facilities set up by the district administration to house the people returning from outside the State of Assam. Deputy Commissioner Manvendra Pratap Singh informed that quarantine facilities had been set up for nearly 900 people so far in the Kendriya Vidyalaya inside Tezpur University, Maharishi Vidya Mandir at Bhitorporuwa, St. Mary's School and Tezpur Gurukul in Teen Mile and at Don Bosco Technical Institute at Dekargaon. He also informed that due to a large number of people coming to Sonitpur, residents of Dhemaji and Lakhimpur districts were being sent directly to their respective districts where they would now be registered, screened, quarantined and tested. The Deputy Commissioner also informed that a checklist for doctors on screening duty had been specially prepared to ensure proper screening and identification of suspect cases.

Minister Keshab Mahanta then took a revenue circle-wise review of the preparations being done in all the Legislative Assembly Constituencies of the district under the leadership of respective MLAs. He asked all Circle Officers present to identify facilities to house at least 1,000 persons in each LAC so as to reduce the load at the district headquarters. The minister also reviewed the food arrangements for quarantined people, toilets and sanitization facilities set up by PHE department, swab collection procedures, deployment of cleaners, waste management in quarantine facilities, among others.

The minister also directed the PHE officials to ensure scientific and hygienic construction of sanitation facilities in these quarantine centres, round-the-clock water supply, provision of dustbins and lights so that the people do not have to face issues.

He also directed the Circle Officers to maintain close coordination with health officials of BPHCs and CHCs, officials of local police stations, supply officials among others for smooth maintenance of quarantine facilities. Moreover, the minister asked all Circle Officers and other line department officials to be prepared to deal with any eventualities arising out of floods in view of the upcoming monsoon season and asked them to keep all officials alert to deal with the floods.

Superintendent of Police Mugdhajyoti Dev Mahanta, Joint Director Health Services, Dr Krishna Kemprai, Executive Engineers PHE, Division I and II, all Circle Officers were present in the meeting. 

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