The Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand Utpal Kumar Singh has said that the State administration would be forced to take back relaxations in the restrictions, if social distancing norms are not followed during the third phase of lockdown imposed to curb the infection of novel Coronavirus (COVID 19).
He said that the public support was very good during the first two phases of lockdown due to which the State has achieved considerable success in anti COVID-19 operations.
The CS appealed people to keep patience during the third phase of lockdown so that the relaxations given in restriction are continued further. Addressing media persons here on Tuesday, Singh said that apart from getting success to quite an extent in the war against Coronavirus, the state has been able to augment its health infrastructure during the lockdown.
He informed that the Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has directed that the Intensive Care units (ICU), ventilators and BiPap machines for oxygen supply for serious patients should be installed in all the major and district hospitals.
In the Mela hospital Haridwar, 10 ICU beds, 3 ventilators, 4 BiPap machines would be installed. Similarly 10 ICU, one ventilator and 2 BiPap machines and 4 ICU beds, one ventilator and 1 BiPap machine would be installed at combined hospital Roorkee and BP Pandey hospital, Nainital respectively. Similar equipment would be installed in the Government Doon Medical College (GDMC) hospital, Dehradun and other district hospitals of the state.
The CS claimed that with 65 percent recovery rate Uttarakhand is among the top states in the country. He added that the rate of doubling of patients in the state is 40 days now which is also satisfactory.
Singh said that the State had no testing facility of COVID-19 when the outbreak of disease started in March this year. Now the state has four testing labs in the government sector with a testing capacity of 500 samples per day which would be further increased.
He said that the response time of 108 ambulance service in the state has showed marked reduction in both urban and rural areas which is a good sign.
The CS said that the state government is continuously in touch with other State Governments for home coming of the people of the state stranded in different parts of the country. He informed that 5663 people have returned from Jaipur and Chandigarh so far and 1.61 lakh people have registered themselves for returning to their homes in the state.
Singh informed that 4483 industrial units have started functioning now and they have sought permits for 85000 labourers.
He said that the State Government has granted relaxation from the norm of gap of one hour between two shifts of eight hours for sanitation purposes to some industrial units. Now these units can take gap of one hour after 12 hour shift. The CS further informed that MNREGA works have started in all 95 blocks of the state and 85231 labourers are at present working in 7311 works. He said that in view of the threat of COVID-19, the Anganwadi workers are now providing take home ration at the doorsteps of beneficiaries. On the procurement of the wheat from farmers, Singh said that 1.69 lakh quintals of wheat has so far been procured and the government has so far made payment of Rs 330 Crore to the farmers. He said that the survey of the destruction caused by recent unseasonal rains is being done after which the farmers would be compensated from the disaster relief fund.