Along with the rest of the nation, the Sonitpur district administration is also prepared to face the challenges and threats posed by the COVID19 outbreak.
Regarding their preparedness to face the pandemic, Tezpur Medical College and Hospital superintendent Dr. Madhab Chandra Rajbangshi said under the guidance of the Union ministry of health & family welfare and Assam government, every possible measure is taken to fight the COVID19.
According to sources in the office of joint director of health services, Sonitpur, a total of 6,480 people, who returned to their homes in undivided Sonitpur district (Sonitpur – 3355 and Biswanath -3125) from other states and abroad, have been kept in quarantine.
“Their regular medical supervision is being carried out so that adequate preventive measures can be taken up,” health department sources said.
“Doctors, paramedical team, nurses and ASHA workers with full support of the media, police and different NGOs are involved in the anti-Coronavirus fight,” sources said.
“Our medical teams are giving their regular visits to the villages for supervising the youths and families coming back to their homes and suggest them to remain in home quarantine,” sources said.
Sources said everybody has been asked to obey the 21-day lockdown norms and stay at home.
“As maintenance of social distancing is the one and only way to get rid of the COVID19, we must follow it else we will face an unimaginable situation as no medicine of COIVD19 has been discovered till date,” sources added.
Talking to Northeast Now, a socially active noted physician, Dr. Atul Kumar Kalita, president of IMA Tezpur Branch & secretary of the Red Cross Society, Sonitpur district, urged all to adopt hand wash, hygiene as a way of life and to obey the lockdown guidelines.
He said the IMA member doctors will be with the government to render their services for saving the lives of the masses as and when necessary.
Meanwhile, to reduce mass gathering in public places in Sonitpur district during the lockdown period, and anticipating breach of peace and tranquility, Section 144 CrPC has been imposed prohibiting assembly of five or more persons in public places without due permission in the district.
“No person shall come out of his/her home except for procurement of groceries, medicines and other essential services or for any emergency medical treatment while meetings, demonstrations, processions of all types and sloganeering in public places without prior permission is prohibited; all private, public passenger vehicles (including two-wheelers) are restricted from plying on the roads,” said the order.
The order shall come into force with immediate effect throughout Sonitpur district and shall remain valid for the lockdown period.
“Due to exigencies and the emergent nature, the order has been passed ex-parte and will remain in force until further order,” it said.
Through the order, the Sonitpur district administration has also fixed the timings of operation of all shops/ establishments dealing in grocery items.
All wholesale shops will function between 8 am to 4 pm while retail shops will remain open between 9 am to 6 pm only, the order said.
Selling of dairy/ milk products will remain open between 6 am to 9 am in the morning and between 3 pm to 5 pm in the evenings.
“All shop owners have been asked to strictly abide by the order issued by the deputy commissioner, Sonitpur and any violation in this regard will be dealt with as per provisions of law,” it said.
The shopkeepers must ensure social distancing norms among customers in order to contain the spread of novel Coronavirus and proper sanitization of their shop premises, vehicles and instruments, it added.