JORHAT, March 21 - The Majuli district administration suspended all kinds of water transport services between the Brahmaputra island and the mainland from Saturday.
Majuli Deputy Commissioner Bikram Kairi, in an order issued on Friday, stated that as part of efforts to reduce the risk of an outbreak of COVID-19 on Majuli island, �plying of all ferries/country boats and other means of water transport (except emergency services) connecting Majuli is hereby barred from plying to and fro from Majuli with effect from March 21 until further orders�.
The order said that in case of medical emergency, patients and their families may contact the district administration or the District Disaster Management Authority, Majuli. Boat ambulances will continue to operate, the order mentioned. Any violation in this regard will be prosecuted as per the DDMA Act, 2005, Epidemic Disaster Act, 1887 and other relevant orders and rules including Section 188 of IPC.
It may be mentioned here that ferries ply between Majuli and Jorhat regularly from several ghats on the river island to Nimatighat in Jorhat and also to a few ghats in Lakhimpur on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra.
Awareness drive: Meanwhile, the Jorhat district administration has intensified awareness drives on precautionary steps to be taken by people to avoid the possibility of an outbreak of coronavirus.
Announcements were being made through loudspeakers fitted in vehicles in urban and rural areas, a district administration official said. The same was also being done through public broadcasting system (loudspeakers placed in different areas of Jorhat town) under the Information and Publicity Department.
Government offices, banks, business establishments including private firms, shopping malls and kiosks, have been asked to keep soap, liquid handwash or alcohol-based sanitisers, the official informed. Rapid response teams have been formed in each revenue circle of the district to keep strict vigil on people returning from other states to their homes here, the official said.
The Health department and civic bodies were undertaking drives to maintain cleanliness and hygiene in markets as well as in residential areas. Training was being imparted to ASHA and Anganwadi workers to carry out awareness drives on preventive measures to be adopted by the people.
