After ensuring supply of essential commodities to people at their doorsteps so that they stayed indoors during the 21-day lockdown across the state, the Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday launched the much-needed community kitchen to feed the poor and stranded people.
“On day one, we prepared over one lakh food packets and distributed them among the needy in the state. Around 15 NGOs and other groups are helping the government while religious groups and other outfits have also offered to join the movement. In the first phase, Lucknow, Agra, Noida and Ghaziabad have done good work in community kitchen,” said Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi in Lucknow on Thursday.
The additional chief secretary said that doorstep delivery was working efficiently and on Thursday, seven lakh litre milk was distributed through packets and the supply would be increased to 15 lakh litre in the next three days. He said that at present, 6,902 mobile vans and e-rickshaws along with 11,668 carts were supplying the essential commodities to the people.
“Our priority is the urban areas. In Lucknow, there are 3,190 mobile vans, while 1,952 vans are operational in Kanpur,” he said.
Awasthi said that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had also directed that public address systems be fitted on government vehicles so that people could be made aware of the government decisions.
Speaking on the lockdown violators and blackmarketeers, the additional chief secretary said that six FIRs had been registered against blackmarketeers across the state so far.
In another decision, the government has amended the rules of Local Area Development Fund and now legislators can donate their quota for medical purposes to fight coronavirus through respective district magistrates.
Meanwhile, Awasthi said that three positive cases of coronavirus were reported from Noida and a fourth from Baghpat on Thursday, taking the tally of COVID-19 patients to 42 in UP. There are eight labs which are working round the clock to test suspected cases in the state.
“The chief minister also asked district officials of Noida, Ghaziabad, Agra and other districts to track people coming on foot to UP. “Such people should be provided lodging and fooding,” he said.
On lockdown violation, the additional chief secretary said that police had registered 2,892 FIRs under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code against violators across the state while 8,649 had been challaned and fine of Rs 1.44 crore was realised from then.
Awasthi said that the chief minister directed all district magistrates and district police chiefs to carry out joint patrolling in their respective districts.