Coronavirus: Sonowal orders strict screening of truck drivers entering Assam.
Guwahati, April 22: Strict screening on Assam Border of Truck Drivers. Given the possibility of COVID-19 entering through interstate borders, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal directed the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs) of Kokrajhar and Dhubri district to strictly screen the incoming truck drivers and their associates at Boxirhat and Srirampur gates for Coronavirus symptoms.
Other than Strict screening on Assam Border of truck drivers, the Assam Chief Minister directed them to create adequate awareness at the border villages so that people could report any people endeavoring to sneak into Assam during the lockdown period while reviewed the current situation with the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs) of all districts of the state through video conferencing at his conference hall at Janata Bhawan in Guwahati on Tuesday evening.
He took stock of the situation arising out of relaxation guidelines issued by the state government for certain sectors during the extended lockdown period.
District officials of Agriculture, Veterinary, Industry, and Fishery departments along with Zila Parishad were also present in the meeting.
Directing the DCs to ensure that no irregularity takes place in selecting the beneficiaries for the scheme of the state government to give Rs 1000 to those people who do not possess NFSA cards, Sonowal asked the DCs and SPs to take stringent action against anyone involved in embezzling of public fund meant for poor section.
He also directed for transparent and strict implementation of the scheme to provide five kg rice to the beneficiaries falling out of the ambit of the NFSA cards.
“This was a very important season for the farmers of the state for cultivation activities, Sonowal said that as farming activities have been exempted from lockdown DCs must ensure that farmers do not face any difficulties like police action,” Sonowal said.
He also directed the District Agriculture Officers to monitor the usage of tractors provided under CMSGUY and instructed them to ensure that these tractors are only used for farming activities.
Sonowal issued instruction for maintaining social distancing norms in tea gardens and their factories and directed DCs to ask tea garden management to keep the screening facilities for outsiders visiting for mechanical works in the factories or for supplying spare parts for the machines. He also asked the districts to look after the difficulties faced by small tea growers and facilitate their movements.
The Assam Chief Minister asked the veterinary department to keep a check on the prices of the cattle feeds and take steps for vaccination of animals at the doorsteps of farmers.
He directed the fishery department to look into the problems faced by fishery owners during the lockdown period and provide them market access for selling fishes. Similarly the Agriculture department was also directed to ensure that farmers’ produce does not get wasted and bridge the gap between the purchasers and farmers.
The Assam Chief Minister also directed the DCs to interact over the phone with eminent personalities and leading citizens of their districts and seek their feedback and suggestions about the various measures taken by the government during the lockdown. He asked the DCs to call Gaonburhas, ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, and SHGs and said that such a step would go a long way in bringing the people closer to the administration.
He appreciated the role played by DCs along with health, police, power department, PHED, etc in this fight against COVID-19.
Assam has reported 34 positive cases for COVID-19 so far and one died due to the dreaded virus and 19 COVID-19 patients were discharged from the hospitals.
