Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 6: Department of Rural Development has initiated slew of measures to enhance public health measures for containment and mitigation of the Coronavirus outbreak in the rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
Giving details, Director Rural Development Department Jammu, Sudershan Kumar said the staff of the department and elected members of Panchayati Raj Institutions including Chairpersons of Block Development Councils, Sarpanches and Panches are working in close co-ordination with District Administrations to contain the spread of COVID -19 infection.
In this regard, Village Awareness and Monitoring Committees have been framed at Panchayat and Block Levels for purpose of creating awareness, surveillance and monitoring of COVID -19 among the rural masses.
The Director said the Block level committees headed by BDC Chairpersons and Panchayat level committees headed by Sarpanches are making rural people aware about the benefits of frequent and proper washing of hands with soap, use of sanitizers and maintaining cleanliness in and around the villages. Coordination with District Administration in taking care of special attention categories like elderly, disabled, pregnant ladies and chronically-ill patients remains high priority of the department, Kumar said.
The Rural Development Department with the help of District Administrations has so far distributed around 165811 masks in Jammu Division. In Doda District 15000, Jammu 12200, Kathua 18400, Kishtwar 19195, Poonch 5000, Rajouri 28500, Ramban 2000, Reasi 8194, Samba 13347 and Udhampur 43975 masks have been distributed in these districts by the administration.
The Director said awareness is being imparted to the community members through Panchayats about helpline numbers so that they are able to report any suspect case to the concerned department. Panchayat members along with the field staff are extending support to the administration for establishment of quarantine centers in the panchayat. “They are also helping the volunteers in making arrangements and distribution of basic amenities to the needy persons including the stranded labourers,” Kumar said.
He said persons who are being home quarantined for 14 days are properly monitored by the panchayat members so that there is no chance of further contamination.
The Director said that people are also being requested to inform the administration in case they come to know about any person or any foreign traveller who has recently arrived in their neighbourhood, family, friend and social circle, in the larger interest of the public.
He said that field staff has been asked to put in their best efforts to prevent the spread of the virus and asked them to intensify efforts to find anyone who might have come in contact with the suspected cases.
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