Measures of Assam to combat coronavirus

The Assam State Disaster Management Authority on Tuesday announced several measures taken in view of the lockdown to combat the coronavirus.

The measures are:

• The public health engineering department, Guwahati Municipal Corporation and Jal Board will continue supply of water in different parts of the city. Private water tankers will be allowed to supply since several colonies/buildings are dependent on them.
• The Kamrup (metro) administration has been directed to set up relief camps/dharmasalas at suitable locations to accommodate stranded people who could not move to their homes owing to disruption of trains and vehicles.
• Dry ration (instead of cooked meal)/takeaway ration being provided by Anganwadi workers.
• All deputy commissioners requested to maintain sufficient stock of baby food.
• General administration department will provide accommodation in Assam Bhawans, dharmasalas or guesthouses in different parts of the country, particularly in Calcutta, where people from Assam are stranded.
• Food and civil supplies department will ensure that cargo flights are used for carrying essential commodities. It will make arrangements to maintain sufficient stocks and keep ready warehouses and tie up logistics for days ahead. It will restrict mass gatherings and ensure social distancing at grocery shops.
• Health department to take up strict vigil along inter-state borders through vigorous checking and screening. Restrictions imposed an all vehicles, except essential goods carriers.
• Kamrup (metro) administration, in collaboration with Kamrup Chamber of Commerce, will maintain proper stock of all essential items. They will identify shops wardwise and prepare a plan for home delivery.
• In prisons, no visitor will be allowed to visit inmates for seven days. Temporary isolation wards to be set up in jails for new arrivals, who are to be kept in isolation for 14 days.
• Education department said all hostels have been vacated in residential schools and steps taken to ensure supply of midday meals by distributing dry ration.
• Health and family welfare department said the NHM office has been converted into a Covid-19 centre; GMCH is identified as Covid 1 hospital and the district hospital at Sonapur as Covid 2 hospital.
• Railway staff exempted from the purview of lockdown.
• NDRF personnel deployed at state emergency centre of ASDMA at Janata Bhawan in Dispur.
• ASDMA has developed a portal for sharing advisory and notifications on Covid-19: asdma.gov.in.