Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Sunday called upon the residents of Jharkhand to wage a “societal war” against COVID-19 by staying at home and not giving the virus a chance to enter the State. Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address to the people of the country, Soren went live on Facebook and apprised the residents of Jharkhand about the situation in the State and the measures taken by the Government for safety, convenience and wellbeing of people during the 21-day lockdown.
In a live video which was watched by more than 3000 people connected to the Chief Minister on the social networking website, Soren said that his Government has started CM Canteen – a scheme under which the poor people of the state will get dry ration such as jaggery, chana and puffed rice delivered to their homes.
The Government, he said, has also made arrangements for food items at every police station in the State to ensure that nobody suffers due to lack of food during the lockdown.
“We need to stay strong in order to fight this virus. And to stay strong, we need to eat nutritious food. The Government is trying its level best to ensure that every person has access to food during this crisis period,” said Soren.
The Chief Minister also said that his Government was in touch with Jharkhandis stuck in other states during the lockdown, and Government officials are establishing dialogue with their counterparts in the concerned States to ensure safety of the ones stranded. However, his Facebook live video was riddled with comments of Jharkhand residents stuck in different States and seeking help of the CM in returning home. Jharkhandi workers stuck in Haryana, Karnataka and even Maharashtra – one of the worst-affected States in India – sought Soren’s help returning home.
Soren on Sunday also shared helpline numbers launched by the Government to address emergencies during the lockdown. He said that control rooms have been set up in each districts to address the issues faced by the people during the self-quarantine period. “We are delivering ration, medicines and vegetables to our people. If any person faces any difficulty, he or she may contact our helpline numbers. Separate helpline numbers have been launched for Jharkhandi people stuck in other States,” the Chief Minister said.
Soren asked the people of Jharkhand to beware of rumours and only believe in news that come from trustworthy sources – the mainstream media.
The State, he said, was prepared to deal with the crisis, but the people of the State need to lead from the front by staying at home and abiding by the rules of the lockdown. “Any person suffering from fever, dry cough or shortness of breath should get himself tested at the nearest hospital. People who have travelled to Jharkhand from other states should stay indoors for at least 14 days,” he said.