Guwahati, Mar 29 (UNI) The Assam government is emphasising on availability of essential commodities for all people during the 21-day nationwide lockdown to combat COVID-19 pandemic, which entered the fifth day today, while also taking care of migrant workers staying in the state.
The Chief Secretary, Kumar Sanjay Krishna, directed all the Deputy Commissioners to ensure that essential commodities should reach the people within the ambit of the lockdown in force.
Holding a video conference with the Deputy Commissioners of the state, Krishna also took stock of the situation.
Earlier in the day, the chief secretary chaired the daily meeting of the State Level Task Force to review the status and action for management of COVID-19.
The meeting elaborately discussed the actions taken so far and the current status of social distancing measures as a preventive strategy and the stringent actions to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the state.
With the Ministry of Home Affairs restricting inter-city movement of any kind, except emergency services, the Assam government has instructed Deputy Commissioners to provide necessary helps to migrant labourers, numbering about 1,000.
Official sources said all DCs have been instructed to provide shelter and relief materials to them.
All the norms of social distancing and hygiene must be followed in the shelter home.
The government is also concentrating on maintaining the uninterrupted movement of cargo and freight services of airlines and railways to Assam as well as North-Eastern states to ensure no scarcity of essential commodities.
Alliance Air operated cargo flights with ATR72 aircraft to several destinations of the country today, including to Guwahati, Dibrugarh and Agartala.
Air India had flown one ATR 72 cargo flight to Agartala yesterday, while a Pawan Hans carrier was used to ferry medical supplies from Kolkata to Agartala the day before.
The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) also is continuing its Freight Train Operation round the clock engaging staff in train operation and other infrastructural maintenance works.
Everyday goods rakes loaded with essential commodities are being unloaded in various goods sidings all over NFR for distribution amongst the local population so that there is no scarcity.
Meanwhile, the state machinery has been strictly enforcing the lockdown with over 300 arrests made so far.
As per information provided by Assam Police, 340 arrests have been made so far and 178 cases registered against 263 incidents.
Altogether 906 vehicles have been detained, including 147 four-wheelers, while Rs 3,85,500 has been realised in fine so far.
Though no positive case of COVID-19 has been detected in the state so far, all precautionary measures were being adopted.
UNI SG RN