Bhubaneswar, April 6: The Odisha Government has decided to strat a 10-day special drive to strictly enforce the Covid Safety protocols as notified from Wednesday.
The decision was taken after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik took stock of the COVID-19 management in the State.
The Chief Minister instructed to Director General of Police (DGP) Abhay to deploy the police personnel in large numbers across the State during the drive.
Meanwhile, the DGP asked all SPs and DCPs to launch special drive against Covid norm violators.
The CM also directed Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra to visit the western Odisha districts with high incidence of the Covid positive cases and to make an on the ground assessment and to take suitable urgent action Odisha.
“Currently, the virus spread seem to be mainly concentrated in the districts adjoining the Chhattisgarh border. I would urge the Chief Secretary, ACS Health and Family Welfare and Senior officials concerned to visit the western Odisha districts with high incidence of the Covid Positive cases and make an on the ground assessment and take suitable urgent action,” said Patnaik.
The Health Department has been directed to immediately redeploy doctors, paramedics, Lab technicians etc. to Western Odisha districts to strengthen the manpower required to fight the virus.
There should be sufficient Hospital capacity to take care of the increasing cases. Adequate ambulances with oxygen supply to be deployed in the highly affected areas and proper monitoring systems to be put in place to ensure that any emergency call is addressed timely and with a sense of urgency and sensitivity. There should be no complaints about non-responsiveness of ambulances or lack of beds in the hospitals, said Patnaik.
“We have to enforce the Covid safety protocols strictly to slow down the spread of the virus. DGP to deploy the police personnel in large numbers across the State in a 10-day drive to strictly enforce the Covid Safety protocols as notified,” added Patnaik.
Information & Public Relations Department has been directed to start a new awareness campaign to sensitise the citizens to follow norms of face mask, hand hygiene and social distancing.
“Collectors should involve all sections of the society including the PRI Members, Mission Shakti groups, etc. and ensure awareness and enforcement. This new wave of Covid virus spread seems to be more infectious and might create a devastating situation, if we do not take it seriously,” added Patnaik.
