The Mizoram government will pay an ex-gratia payment of Rs 20 lakh each to local volunteers if they die due to novel coronavirus.

The meeting of the council of ministers chaired by chief minister Zoramthanga approved a scheme for payment of ex-gratia to the relatives of a member of Village Level Task Force (VLTF) or Local Level Task Force (LLTF), who was involved in Covid-19 vigilance and die after incurring the virus.

This is the first case of Covid-19 fatality among VLTF or LLTF volunteers in the state.

VLTFs are being set in rural villages and LLTFs at towns for maintaining vigilance against the spread of the novel coronavirus.

These voluntary task forces played important roles when the pandemic was at its peak last year by aiding the state government in curtailing the spread of Covid-19.

Mizoram is known to be one of the best performing states in India to have curtailed the spread of Covid-19 due to the concerted efforts made by the state government, local volunteers, NGOs and churches.

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However, nine people tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday, taking the state’s tally to 4,500.

The state has 44 active cases, while 4,445 people have recovered from the virus.

The Covid-19 death toll is 11.

Meanwhile, the meeting of council of ministers also mentioned about the need to be more cautious due to the rise in Covid-19 cases in the country.

The cabinet also expressed concern about more than 100 pigs dying of an unknown disease at Lungsen village in  Lunglei district recently.

State animal husbandry and veterinary minister K. Beichhua said that the unknown disese that killed the pigs is yet to be verified.

He said that African Swine Fever (ASF) is suspected to be the cause of the death.

According to the minister, it has been already confirmed that the pigs were free from Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) and Classical Swine Flu (CSF).

Samples will be sent to the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) in Bhopal to ascertain whether or not the death of the animals was caused by ASF.