BHUBANESWAR: Alarmed by a fresh wave of
Covid-19 infection in some states, including Maharashtra, the state government on Sunday issued a set of instructions to the district collectors and laid stress on strict enforcement of the anti-Covid protocols.
At present, the
Covid infection rate is one of the lowest in the country. Altogether 1914 persons so far died in Covid-19 infection in the state with the active cases now standing at only 631. However, the government is jittery as a large number of people have thrown the Covid precautions to wind following a substantial decrease in the infection rate in the state.
“The state has been able to substantially reduce the number of infections. Considering the improvement in the Covid situation and livelihood issues of people, the government relaxed most of the restrictions. But it is observed people have been showing complacency in observing the Covid safety protocols. In view of the surge in positive cases in some states and emergence of new variants of the virus, we need to be more careful,” special relief commissioner and additional chief secretary (disaster management)
Pradeep Jena said.
In a letter to district collectors, SPs and municipal commissioners, Jena said the district administrations and police authorities shall check and ensure strict compliance of the Covid safety protocols, such as mandatory wearing of masks, maintaining physical distance in public places, work places and educational institutions. Public awareness through loudspeaker announcements should be made regularly in all market places and haat.
Earlier on Friday, additional chief secretary (health) P K Mohapatra galvanized the district administrations and asked them to take steps to prevent re-transmission of the virus. On Saturday chief minister
Naveen Patnaik too urged people not to lower the guard as the war against the pandemic has not yet ended completely.
The government has asked the police to closely monitor the compliance of Covid guidelines at hotels, restaurants, malls and educational institutions. Senior officers of district administrations have been asked to regularly visit different places to ascertain the compliance of the Covid protocols.
Advising people to avoid large congregations, the government has said the concerned authorities of the government and private offices besides the educational institutions would be responsible for due compliance of the safety guidelines. In his letter, Jena has asked the district collector, SPs and municipal commissioners to ensure the compliance of the regulated crowd size in marriage, social/religious functions, sports, entertainment and cultural gatherings.
Jena said strong penal action should be taken against the violators and shops/commercial establishments be sealed for flouting the Covid guidelines. Any person, showing Covid-19 symptoms must immediately be reported to the nearby health institution, he said. “Adequate and strict sanitation measures should be maintained in schools, colleges, other educational institutions and
Anganwadi centres. Nothing other than the curricular activities shall be allowed in the institutions,” Jena said.