GUWAHATI, March 16 - Though no coronavirus case has yet been detected in Assam, the State government has been taking all possible precautionary measures and State Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna today asserted that there is no need to panic at this moment. He also said that there is no shortage of essential commodities.
The Chief Secretary told The Assam Tribune that quarantine centre facilities for 860 persons, isolation centre facilities for more than 100 persons and intensive care unit facilities for 50 persons have been kept ready. He said that the private hospitals have also been asked to keep isolated ICU beds ready for any eventuality.
The situation is reviewed every day in all levels of administration and there is no shortage of any medicine. The Chief Secretary said that there is no need for the people to panic and everyone should take the precautionary measures. He said that he is also monitoring the situation and holding regular video conferences with the Deputy Commissioners and Joint Directors of Health Services posted in the districts to assess the situation and as of date, no positive case has been reported in the State.
On reports of panic buying of essential commodities by a section of people, Sanjay Krishna said that there is no need for the people to stock essentials. He said that there is no shortage of essential commodities in the State and the Food and Civil Supplies Department has been directed to ensure that no part of the State faces any food shortage.
The Government of India has closed all the land border posts with the neighbouring countries barring a few notified ones. The notified ones include three in Assam, that is, Mankachar and Sutarkandi in the India-Bangladesh border and Darranga in India-Bhutan border. Sanjay Krishna said that the people coming through the posts are screened. People coming to the State by air, trains and buses are also being screened, he added.
The Chief Secretary admitted that the State would suffer economic losses due to the coronavirus threat, but the quantum of the loss can be ascertained only after the State tides over the present crisis. The State government has already closed down the educational institutions, cinema halls, etc., up to March 29 due to coronavirus threat.
