JAMMU, APRIL 03: Lieutenant Governor, Girish Chandra Murmu today briefed the President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, about the efforts of the UT Administration to combat COVID-19 pandemic in J&K during a video conference held by the President, along with Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu with the Governors, Lt Governors and Administrators of all States and Union Territories to review the preparedness to deal with the evolving situation and discuss potential measures that can be taken by them to check the spread of COVID-19.
At the outset, the President, Vice-President, and the Lt Governor commended the crucial and life-saving role being played by doctors, nurses, police personnel and all other frontline warriors in the battle against COVID-19 and resolved to provide them with all the requisite medical & allied equipment and support.
During the interaction, broad based discussions were held on various issues including the availability and supply of essential commodities and medicines to the people; ensuring full support to the farming community during the ensuing harvest season; facilitating procurement of farm produce by the respective agencies; arrangements for conducting online classes/courses for students; taking onboard the religious & spiritual leaders to advise their followers against holding any congregations & stepping up awareness about observing social distancing norms to prevent the transmission of COVID-19.
Specific stress was laid on the role of involving Red Cross, civil society, socio-religious organizations, and volunteers through a Jan Bhagidari approach in complimenting the efforts of governments by sensitizing, providing relief, and succor to the people in this time of crisis.
While apprising the President about the measures taken by the UT Administration for prevention, management, and containment of Coronavirus, the Lt Governor informed that around 28,000 guest labourers are being housed in various camps across J&K and are being taken care of by the administration during the period of lockdown.
Further, intensive surveillance and testing is being carried out, particularly in Red zones and local religious & spiritual leaders have been taken onboard for awareness, contact tracing, and providing relief. Block Level Coordination Committees have been constituted to comprehensively monitor the supply of essentials, to keep a check on the prices and ensure social distancing is followed in banks and ration outlets.
The Lt Governor stated that the seamless flow of all essential commodities/medicines/perishable items in and out of the UT has been ensured. It was also brought to notice that the administration has ensured advance distribution of ration across J&K. In addition, dry ration under the Mid-day meal scheme has also been distributed to the students in advance as the schools remain closed.
He observed that the Agriculture sector is one of the top priorities of the UT Administration and steps are being taken to ensure adequate supply of mechanized farm machines, fertilizers, seeds etc to the farming community, besides devising plans for their movement during the lockdown period strictly adhering to the social distancing norms.
The President and Vice-President expressed satisfaction on the efforts of the UT Administration; however, they called for sustained efforts across the board including continuous interactions among the Governors, Lt Governors and Administrators to effectively counter the Coronavirus pandemic and at the same time providing relief to the stranded labourers, destitute and ensuring supply of commodities to the population in hilly areas.
No: PR/DI/19/6814/
Government of Jammu and Kashmir
Directorate of Information
Friday, April 03, 2020
Email: dipr@jkinformation.co.in
Lt Governor asks IRCS to scale up its activities to compliment the efforts of administration
Calls for identifying all mentally unsound homeless & destitute and providing them with means of sustenance on priority
JAMMU, APRIL 03: Lieutenant Governor, Girish Chandra Murmu today asked the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS), Jammu Region to collaborate with the local Municipalities and identify mentally unsound, homeless destitute in their jurisdiction on priority and take effective steps to provide them with a means of sustenance.
He was chairing a meeting with the functionaries of IRCS, Jammu Region at the Raj Bhavan to take stock of activities being carried out by the society in wake of COVID-19 outbreak in the region.
Sh. Bipul Pathak, Principal Secretary to Lieutenant Governor; Sh. Sanjeev Verma, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, who is also the Chairman of IRCS, Jammu Region and Sh. Vinod Malhotra, Honorary Secretary, IRCS, Jammu Region attended the meeting.
The Lt Governor asked the Society to focus on taking immediate care of families whose sole bread earners have either been quarantined or put under isolation in an effort to control the cronavirus infection. He called for providing basic survival kits comprising ration, soaps, and medicines to the families in distress locality-wise so that the needy are covered in comprehensive manner.
The Lt Governor emphasized on massive awareness generation among the people by involving NGOs, social-religious organizations and volunteers to bring about a conscientious behavioral change with regard to the importance of maintaining personal hygiene and social distancing.
He stressed that efforts should be taken to mobilize volunteers and encouraging them to work in tandem with the administration after giving them proper health training. Further, the Society should organize awareness camps and undertake regular fumigation of places with high footfall especially the mandis, warehouses, and industrial estates.
Sh. Verma briefed the Lt Governor about various activities of the society towards COVID-19 prevention and relief efforts in the region. He further informed that around 400 food packets per day are being distributed by the Society in Jammu and continuous efforts are being made to upscale the distribution.
