Textile Minister Ranjit Dutta reviews COVID-19 preparedness of Lakhimpur

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: Handloom and Textile Minister Ranjit Dutta reviewed the preparedness and existing position of Lakhimpur district on Friday in connection with the extended lockdown period until May 3 initiated in a view to contain the spread of coronavirus pandemic. Then interacting with the mediapersons at Lakhimpur Deputy Commissioner’s Office premises, the minister said that the construction work of the proposed COVID-19 hospital of the district to be established at Boginadi would be started soon.

“At present over 100 crore fund has been deposited in the Arogya Nidhi of the State Government. By the investment of due funds, the construction work of five COVID-19 hospitals of the State will be accelerated very soon,” stated the minister.

In connection, he expressed satisfaction over the recovery of Babu Ali, the lone COVID-19 patient of the district who has been under treatment since April 4 at Telahi Model Hospital, the COVID-19 hospital of the district.

“The swab sample of Babu Ali which was sent for second test, was reported negative for coronavirus. He will be tested once again and the report will be sent to Guwahati and the discharge certificate will be issued from there if he deserves discharging by attaining complete recovery from the fatal disease,” he added.

Further he asserted that the State government had been attempting to provide relief to every family during the lockdown by providing food items or essential commodities or paying an amount of relief fund. “The government is trying its level best to wipe out the want of food items in every family. Now another step is initiated to provide 5kg of rice to those families who have no ration cards due to some circumstances. In this regard, the local MLAs are asked to initiate steps to submit the lists of such families without any fault.

The supply department and the Gaon Panchayat establishments are also given due instructions in this regard. The Supply Department and its officers are instructed to take adequate steps so that no family, no person is deprived from relief items meant for the lockdown period.

On the other hand, the District Agriculture Officers are asked to take step so that the farmers can engaged them in cultivation as the cultivating season has set in. In this regard they are suggested to take up steps to till the crops land of the farmers with tractors. Moreover, vendors are engaged by district administration to pick up the agro-products of the farmers and to sell them in the urban areas door to door. Similarly, vendors are engaged to collect the fish produced in the rural areas and to sell them to fulfil public need,” he said.

He informed the media persons that the embankment construction work of the State, which is still pending due to ongoing lockdown, is likely to start from April 20 in order to tackle the flood fury in the upcoming rainy season. He added that the pending developmental activities of Health and other departments, the schemes of MGNREGA, the construction of PMAY houses might be resumed form April 20.

“But the social distancing must be followed although some crucial activities are operated. We must adhere to the advisories of the lockdown up to May or until and unless the Central Government issue any declaration in this regard,” emphasised the minister. He further informed that the essential commodities like rice dal, potato, onion etc. are in good stock in Lakhimpur having the capacity to manage the rest lockdown days up to May 3.

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