Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Friday said the state government is ensuring that essential items are provided at the doorsteps of people to restrict their movement during lockdown period.
Assured that there was enough stock of food, medicines and other essential commodities in the State and no one should worry as uninterrupted and continuous supply chain of all commodities was being ensured, he said the government has enrolled 1,706 vendors throughout the State who have been delivering various goods and essentials on the doorsteps of residents benefiting 12,82,334 persons so far.
Thakur said that to ensure regular supply of medicines during lockdown period, 575 vendors have been authorized for home delivery of medicines in the State. These includes 20 vendors in Bilaspur, nine in Chamba, 32 in Hamirpur, 44 in Kangra, 19 in Kullu, one in Lahaul-Spiti, 93 in Mandi, 125 in Shimla, 165 in Sirmour, 40 in Solan and 23 in Una district.
Total 1,507 persons in district Bilaspur, 550 in Chamba, 1,472 in Hamirpur, 14,542 in Kangra, 23 in Kinnaur, 387 in Kullu, 73 in Lahaul-Spiti, 2,267 in Mandi, 7,111 in Shimla, 1,936 in Sirmour, 14,101 in Solan and 404 in Una have been benefited by home delivery of medicines.
The CM said grocery items are required in every household and 610 vendors have been enrolled to maintain supply of grocery items in all parts of the State which has benefited 1,61,955 persons directly. Similarly, 526 vendors have been enrolled for home delivery of fruits and vegetables which has benefitted 10,75,572 persons. Besides, 130 persons took benefit of home delivery of cooked food so far.
SPECIAL CAMPAIGN TO MEDICALLY EXAMINE PEOPLE ENTERING HP, SAYS CM
Holding a video conference with all the Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police and Chief Medical Officers of the State from Shimla on Friday, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said that a special campaign would be launched on the analogy of Active Case Finding Campaign to medically examine the people entering to Himachal Pradesh from other States and these persons would be kept in home quarantine. He asked the officers that it should be ensured that they do not jump from home quarantine.
Thakur asked officers to compile the data of such persons who have arrived in Himachal Pradesh from other States and if a person had come from red zone he must be kept in quarantine centre.
The CM directed the officers to ensure strict compliance of guidelines of Union Ministry of Home Affairs and make elaborate arrangements to bring the people of Himachal Pradesh stranded in other States. He said that State Government had already appointed adequate number of supporting officers to the Nodal Authority to coordinate movement of the migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists, students and other persons both within and outside the State.
He urged the representatives of PRIs and Urban Local Bodies to keep a close vigil on the persons who had returned from other States and persuade them to strictly follow the norms of home quarantine. He said that Himachal Pradesh was in a comfortable position till now and it must be ensured that this situation is maintained at all costs.
Thakur said efforts should be made to start economic activities particularly in the green zones, adding that special thrust must be laid on providing smooth movement of essential commodities and farming equipments. He said that people should also be motivated to wear face masks and face covers as this could check spread corona virus.
The Chief Minister said that since selective shops were allowed to open in certain areas, but it must be ensured that effective social distancing is maintained there and everyone uses face masks and sanitizer.
Chief Secretary Anil Khachi, Director General of Police S.R. Mardi, Additional Chief Secretary, Home Manoj Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary Health R.D. Dhiman and Principal Secretaries J.C. Sharma, Onkar Sharma and Sanjay Kundu, Secretary I&PR Rajneesh also attended the meeting.
HIMACHAL GOVT APPOINTS NODAL OFFICERS TO FACILITATE INTERSTATE MOVEMENT
There are large number of Himachali students, travellers, pilgrims, professionals who are currently stranded outside Himachal Pradesh in different states and Union Territories due to lockdown and restriction on interstate movement. Likewise there are many persons belonging to other states and Union Territories, who are presently staying in different parts of Himachal Pradesh as students, tourists, business travellers, professionals, industrial workers etc. and are desirous to go back to their respective native states and Union Territories.
A spokesperson of the state government said that FC-cum-Principal Secretary Revenue-DMC to Government of Himachal Pradesh Onkar Chand Sharma has been designated as State Nodal Officer and Director Tourism and Civil Aviation and Managing Director HRTC Shimla, Yunus has been designated as State Joint Nodal Officer for the purpose. State Nodal Officer can be contacted on mobile number 94182-30009 and State Joint Nodal Officer can be contacted on mobile number 88940-35375.
He said the other officers have been designated as Nodal Officers to collect, collate and compile the data pertaining to the requests received for interstate movement and formulation of comprehensive plan, devise protocol and facilitate movement by using public transport facilities or private vehicles in consultation with the officers of the other states/UT's, District Administration, officials of the Departments of Labour and Employment, Industries, Home, Transport, HRTC etc. under the overall supervision and guidance of the State Nodal Officers/Joint Nodal Officer.
The spokesperson said Secretary Information and Public Relations and Urban Development Rajneesh has been designated as nodal officer for Haryana, New Delhi and National Capital Region. Similarly Secretary Finance and Housing Akshay Sood for Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, Secretary Ayurved G.K. Srivastava for Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.
Director Energy Manasi Sahay Thakur for Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerela, Goa, Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Island and Puducherry, Director Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Lalit Jain for Punjab, Chandigarh and Mohali ( Tricity), Special Secretary MPP and Power Hemraj Bairwa for Rajasthan, Gujrat and Madhya Pradesh, Director Personnel and Finance HPPCL Manmohan Sharma for Assam, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura and Meghalya and Director Elementary Education Rohit Jamwal for West Bengal, Odisha and Sikkim.