L-G launches 'Covid-free villages' programme to achieve 100% vaccination in Puducherry

PUDUCHERRY: Lt Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan on Friday launched the 'Covid-free villages' programme involving the respective MLAs at Vaithikuppam, a fishing village, and Pudukuppam in Embalam (SC) for the intensified drive to achieve 100 percent vaccination of the entire adult population.

Launching this programme at Pachaivazhiamman temple at Vaithikuppam, the Lt Governor said everyone should play a role in ensuring that all eligible people living in these villages were vaccinated and that villages in the Union Territory were Covid-free at the earliest.

The government is taking various initiatives to control the spread of Covid in Puducherry. As part of this, the Health Department in collaboration with the District Rural Development Agency is organising special vaccination camps in the villages.

Protem Speaker K Lakshminarayanan attended the camp held at Vaithikuppam, while the first-time MLA U Lakshmikandhan attended the camp at Pudukuppam.

The Lt Governor said that she is contacting every legislator over phone and requesting them to take part in this vaccination campaign. “Our aim is to create awareness and thereby make Puducherry a completely safe state and fully vaccinated state,” she said.

She said that people between the ages of 18 and 44 are more interested in getting vaccinated and they need to create awareness for others. “People need to understand that the sooner we get inoculated, the sooner our body will have immunity. People will not have immunity in case of a delay,” she said.

“Pudukuppam has become a model village as everyone above 45 has been vaccinated. It has been certified, which brings happiness,” said the Lt Governor. Pudukuppam village has a population of 250 people in the age group of 18 to 44 and they were being vaccinated at the camp.

She said she had spoken to the Chief Minister N Rangasamy a few days ago and requested him to associate the legislators to protect Puducherry and, particularly, the villages from the infection.

Besides the MLAs, T Arun, the Health Secretary, officials of the District and Rural Development Agency, delegates of self-help groups and volunteers were among those present.