PRI must play a pro-active role in fighting corona pandemic: CM

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while virtually interacting with the over 3000 elected representatives of three-tiers of Panchayati Raj Institutions of the State from Mandi today, said that all the elected representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions must play a pro-active role in helping the State Government in fighting the Corona pandemic in their respective areas by acting as a bridge between the people and State Health Department.

Chief Minister said that the world, country and the State was passing through a difficult phase of Corona pandemic, thus it becomes duty of each one of us to help the Government to fight this virus. He said that the elected representatives of the Panchayati Raj Institutions played a crucial role during the first phase of the pandemic last year. He said that they had not only distributed face masks and hand sanitizers, but also distributed food packets and ration to the needy. He said that the second surge was more dangerous and fatal. He said thus the newly elected members of the PRIs must work pro-actively to help their panchayats in tackling this virus.

Jai Ram Thakur said that the elected representatives must take a lead in motivating the people to strictly adhere to the SoPs issued by the State Government from time to time. He said that the elected representatives must also ensure that all the people in their panchayats use face masks and ask the people to follow COVID appropriate behaviour. He said that they should also make the people aware to avoid gathering in large number in various social, religious and other functions.

Chief Minister said that the biggest vaccination campaign was in progress in the country. He urged the people to come forward to vaccinate themselves as this would go a long way in protecting them from the virus. He said that the elected representatives must also ensure wellbeing of the patients under home isolation. He said that they should constantly remain in touch with the family members of the patient as this helps in keeping their moral high. He said that the PRI representatives must also educate the people under home isolation to adopt various dos’ and don’ts to check spread of this virus to other members of the family. He said that the person under home isolation must not use the same toilet being used by other family members. The elected representatives of the Panchayati Raj Institutions should also make arrangements of separate toilet for the patient, he added.

Jai Ram Thakur said that the PRI representatives must also take a lead in motivating the people to get inoculated and make arrangements for mass vaccination. He said that the State Government has allowed temples to remain open, but at the same time has banned organizing langars, bhandaras and kirtans. He said that the elected representatives must also ensure that the people strictly follow the SoPs regarding temples and marriages.  He said that the PRI members must also motivate and advise the old people, those with co-morbidity to avoid going to public places as they are most prone to this virus. Such persons must be reverse quarantined meaning that their movement outside their houses should be minimized to the extent possible, he said.

Chief Minister said that the representatives of the PRI must also keep an eye on the people visiting from other State, particularly from the high load states. He said that as far as possible such people must be asked to remain in home quarantine for 10 to 14 days and getting themselves tested for COVID-19 and should not mix with general public of the area. He said that the representatives must also ensure that if in any case the condition of the person under home isolation deteriorates, they should be immediately shifted to appropriate health facility well in time. He said that if any person comes to be Covid positive, his or her all primary and secondary contacts must be identified and asked to be in quarantine and must be tested for virus as per the protocol of Health Department.  He also urged the representatives to ensure water conservation, as drought like situation was being faced in the State.

Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Virender Kanwar thanked the Chief Minister for envisaging keen interest in effective involvement of elected representatives of PRIs in tackling the spread of Corona virus. He said that the PRIs should ensure keeping a strict vigil on the people under home isolation.

Secretary Health Amitabh Awasthi said that the Panchayati Raj representatives must also motivate people to go for vaccination and strictly follow Covid appropriate behaviour. He said that vaccination would not only increase the immunity but also help in fighting the virus. He said that institution of home isolation must be strengthened.

Director Rural Development Lalit Jain welcomed the Chief Minister.

Several elected representatives of PRIs also interacted with the Chief Minister

Health Minister Dr Rajiv Saizal also attended the meeting virtually whereas, MLA  Drang Jawahar Thakur, Chairman Zila Parishad Pal Verma, Deputy Commissioner Mandi Rugved Thakur,  Superintendent of Police Shalini Agnihotri were present in the meeting at Mandi.

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