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Panchayati Raj representatives playing key role in fight against Covid-19: Jai Ram
The CM said these representatives are sensitising people about isolation and social distancing and monitoring those home quarantined.
Panchayati Raj representatives are playing a key role in the state’s fight against Covid-19, Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur said on Tuesday.
He was addressing the members of Zila Parishad, Block Development Council (BDC) and panchayat pradhans of Hamirpur and Una districts through video conferencing.
The CM said these representatives are sensitising people about isolation and social distancing and monitoring those home quarantined. “In last few days, more than one lakh Himachalis stranded in various parts of the country have returned to the state and 55,000 were to come soon. Since many of them were coming from red or orange zones it is essential to ensure their proper medical checkups and that they follow the home quarantine norms,” Thakur said.
He said a ‘Nigah’ programme has been launched to keep watch on people coming from other states. “Panchayat pradhans must ensure that they keep vigil on people arriving in their areas. They along with ASHA workers and health staff should visit the houses of such persons before their arrival to educate the families about social distancing,” he said.
The CM also appreciated efforts of panchayat functionaries in motivating people to download ‘Aarogya Setu App’ and distribution of masks and ration to poor. He also urged them to ensure proper sanitisation of their panchayats to check outbreak of diseases.
Thakur said they should also educate people not to stigmatise the Covid-19 patients. “Our fight is against the virus and not the infected person,” he said.
“All panchayat pradhans must help families who have limited accommodation to ensure proper social distancing by providing them isolated accommodation in community centres, panchayat ghar and mahila mandal bhawans,” the CM said.
He said proper vigil should be kept on these persons to ensure that they do not jump from home quarantine. “If a person is found not following the home quarantine norms, the matter should be brought before the district administration so that he can be kept under institutional quarantine,” he added.
The CM said elected representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions must also come forward to start various developmental activities in their respective panchayats. He said work under MNREGA should be expedited but at the same time it must be ensured that proper social distancing norms were followed.
