Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday handed over 50,000 masks meant for the tea garden workers of Udalguri district.
Amid lockdown, along with other parts of Assam, the tea garden workers in the district have also resumed plucking tea leaves by maintaining social distancing norms.
Chief minister Sonowal on Saturday took stock of the preparedness of Udalguri district to combat the COVID19 pandemic.
“The state government would like to thank the people of Assam for abiding by the nationwide lockdown rules and contributing a lot in saving the lives of people,” said Sonowal while addressing a gathering at Udalguri.
The chief minister while taking stock of the COVID19 situation expressed satisfaction after visiting the Sonaigaon Quarantine Centre.
He said the state government is taking all pains to end the pandemic in Assam and hoped that the positive response of the people of Assam would surely yield a very positive result.
The CM also said he has already talked to a good number of chief ministers regarding the safety of the Assamese people living in those states.
He said the state government has undertaken measures for the safety of all people who came to the state before the lockdown period.
The chief minister also held a close meeting with the Udalguri district administration accompanied by Assam PHE minister Rihon Daimari, who is also in charge of Udalguri and Baksa districts.
Sonowal also directed the agriculture department to engage its field officials to interact with progressive and other farmers to motivate them to engage in farming with complete adherence to the norm of social distancing.
The CM asked the agriculture department to keep adequate stockpile of fertilizer and pesticides to facilitate farm activities.
Sonowal also asked the district administration to maintain strict vigil at the already sealed Indo-Bhutan international border and Assam-Arunachal inter-state border adjoining the district to halt movement of all vehicular traffic without permission.
Udalguri deputy commissioner Prakash Ranjan Gharphalia apprised the CM of various steps taken to deal with COVID19 outbreak in the district and measures for providing succour to the lockdown affected people.
Further directing the district administration to ensure seamless supply of essential commodities, Sonowal instructed the DC to hold discussions with wholesalers to stop any spike of such commodities in the district.
He also asked the officials to regularly interact with the Minister in-charge of the district alongwith MPs and MLAs.
Moreover, stressing on the need to keep a 24×7 active control room in the district, the CM directed to engage staff in shifts so that swift action on any query from public can be addressed.
He also directed to take adequate measures for children, elderly citizen and pregnant women at these difficult times.
Sonowal instructed to take urgent steps for repairing of electric poles damaged in the recent storm and also to ensure uninterrupted supply of power in the district to APDCL officials.