Chief Minister Pema Khandu onFriday exhorted the people of Arunachal Pradesh to put in extra efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the state.Arunachal Pradesh at present is coronavirus free after the lone COVID-19 patient from Lohit district was discharged from hospital on April 17 after being cured.But the state must be ready for any eventuality as the country has witnessed a surge in corona cases, Khandu said while chairing a review meeting at Tawang, his home district on COVID-19 preparedness."It is in such likelihood that the purpose of the preparedness level in the state should be on 100 per cent prevention on spread of COVID-19 infection as and when any positive cases arise. It will be a failure of the state government if the spread of the disease is not contained," Khandu said during the meeting.The chief minister said that adequate awareness must be generated to prevent the spread of panic and rumours if any positive case arises.He urged the use of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaigns, use of all means of public communication to spread awareness so that any positively identified person is not ostracized.Speaking on the initiatives of the state government in the health sector, Khandu said North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) and North East Council (NEC) funds would be used cent per for upgrading the health sector.The chief minister said that a long term policy for robust infrastructure and facilities for all 25 district hospitals in the state has been rolled out with proposed allocation of Rs 350 crore while fifty per cent of MLA local area development fund could be used for fighting coronavirus.Khandu said the state government has also launched its exercise to define its own zones, containment plan and standard operating procedures for COVID-19, which would be completed soon.On reviving the states economy, the chief minister said priority would be given to agriculture and horticulture activities."The government will provide farmers with fencing, seeds for agri and horti crops as well as provide support for marketing the farm produce," Khandu said."The Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) has been activated in all the districts and it has been doing a commendable job for finding markets for the farmers. Army and central paramilitary forces stationed in the state are also a big market for the farmers for which the state government will soon sit with the officials of the respective forces to work out the modalities," he added.The chief minister lauded the Tawang district administration for its exemplary work in COVID-19 preparedness and appreciated the team effort put by the local administration, government departments, local NGOs, community organizations and the local community.He also appreciated the district administration for the elaborate arrangements such as constituting of supervisory committee, monitoring committee and disinfectant committee to put up a robust mechanism to fight coronavirus pandemic in the district.
