The chief secretary Utpal Kumar Singh presided over a meeting of the State Executive Committee (SEC) to review the status of coronavirus (COVID-19) related situation in the state and the preparations of the departments concerned.
In the beginning of the meeting the Disaster Management secretary Amit Negi informed the officers that in view of the spread of COVID-19 in India and the declaration of COVID-19 as pandemic by the World Health Organisation, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India has included COVID-19 in the list of notified disasters by way of a special one-time dispensation for the purpose of providing assistance out of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
He added that the funds so disbursed could be utilised for quarantine related measures as also for the procurement of equipment for response to COVID-19 including PPE, thermal scanners, ventilators, air purifiers and others.
The Health secretary Nitesh K Jha briefed the officials on the measures being taken for ensuring smooth and economic supply of masks, sanitizers and medicines likely to be required. The Urban Development secretary Shailesh Bagauli informed about the measures being taken by the department for ensuring sanitisation and cleanliness in public places, particularly where people are likely to assemble in large numbers.
During the meeting, the SEC took major decisions including suspension of the Poornagiri Mela in Champawat district, ban on social, political and other gatherings- that is assembling of more than 50 persons anywhere in the state, identification of retired health workers for deployment during emergency, training of students of medical, nursing and paramedical collages for deployment during emergency, training and sensitisation of all likely to be deployed for emergency duty, laying down of protocols for isolation and quarantine facilities and sanitisation of public facilities, including offices, buses and others and training of related staff for doing so.
The SEC also decided that regular Press briefing will be held by health department, GIS mapping of COVID-19 related facilities and patients will be undertaken, infrastructure that could be utilised for isolation/ quarantine facility will be identified at both state and district level, smooth supply of masks, sanitizers and other essential commodities will be ensured and Rs 50 crore would be disbursed out of SDRF in favour of Health Department for coronavirus related preparedness.
After reviewing the situation and taking stock of the preparedness of various departments the chief secretary emphasised the need of gearing up the state of preparedness and paying more attention towards ensuring personal hygiene and cleanliness of public utilities and putting in place practical and practicable measures for social distancing.