Ensure availability of labour in Himachal’s apple belt: Jai Ram to officials

The labourers coming from other states must be tested for Covid-19 and should be quarantined for the specified period before being allowed to work in the orchards, the CM said.

Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday directed officials to ensure availability of labour in the apple belt of the state so that horticulturists do not face any difficulties.

Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur addressing the deputy commissioners, superintendent of police and chief medical officers of the districts. (HT Photo)

The labourers coming from other states must be tested for Covid-19 and should be quarantined for the specified period before being allowed to work in the orchards, the CM said, while addressing the deputy commissioners, superintendent of police and chief medical officers of the districts.

He said adequate manpower should also be provided in mango growing areas as the season is drawing closer.

The CM said each and every person visiting the state from other parts of the country should be traced and tested to prevent spread of Covid-19.

He said Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for entry and screening of persons visiting the state should be strictly adhered to and special care must be taken to diagnose the persons arriving from the hotspots.

“People coming from hotspots should be invariably tested for coronavirus and allowed to be under home quarantine only after they are tested negative,” he said.

Thakur said special emphasis should be on Information Education and Communication (IEC) regarding taking fundamental precautions such as use of face mask, social distancing and seeing a doctor in case of any Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) symptoms.

He said people should also be sensitised to avoid unnecessary visit to public places and maintaining proper social distancing at work places as well. “Home quarantine facility must be made more effective and violators must be dealt with strictly. A team of health workers, ASHA workers, Anganwari workers and PRI representatives should adopt pro-active approach to keep a vigil on home quarantined people to check spread of the virus in case they test positive for Covid-19,” the CM said.

He said about 1.92 lakh people of the state working in different parts of the country have returned to the state and all of them were kept under quarantine. “Therefore, people of the state need not fear about the sharp hike in number of COVID-19 positive cases,” he added.

Chief secretary Anil Khachi has directed the DCs to strictly follow the guidelines issued by the Union government as well the state.