Guwahati: Assam government is taking steps to ensure best treatment for all inmates, particularly to children and mothers, residing in camps for displaced persons in districts hit by ethnic violence, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said on Sunday.
He directed state Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma along with senior officers of the health department to be present in the areas where such camps have been set up to monitor the situation and ensure proper health facilities for all inmates.
“The chief minister has also instructed that all medical and para-medical staff and medicine requirement may be refurbished by requisitioning from other districts. Healthcare assistance from the private sector may also be sought, if necessary,” a senior state government official said.
Necessary funds and other support would be made available for this purpose, he said.
“The Chief Minister also directed the chief secretary to take all preventive measures, including deployment of senior officials and to ensure that not a single life is lost due to lack of medical attention on the part of the Government,” the official said.
The Assam government has constituted a Group of Ministers (GoM) for overseeing and coordinating the relief and rehabilitation measures in the riot-affected districts of the state.
The GoM, formed on instructions of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, comprises of comprises Revenue Minister Prithibi Majhi as chairperson and comprises Planning and Development Minister Tanka Bahadur Rai, Public Health and Engineering Minister Gautam Roy, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Nazrul Islam, Education and Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Environment and Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain and Transport Minister Chandan Brahma.
The Chief Minister has also directed the GoM to proceed to the riot affected districts immediately. Agriculture minister Nilamoni Sen Deka will also be the Member Secretary of the GoM.
Gogoi has directed the GoM to proceed to the riot affected districts immediately, the sources added.
Based on news reports of health conditions in relief camps in the riot-hit districts, Mr Gogoi said the State is ensuring best possible treatment to all inmates of the camps, particularly to children and mothers.
He has also directed the Health Minister to proceed and camp in these areas along with senior officers of the Health department to monitor the situation and ensure proper health facilities for all inmates, an official statement said here.
He has also instructed that all medical, para-medical and medicine requirement may be refurbished by requisitioning from other districts.
Healthcare assistance from the private sector may also be sought, if necessary. All necessary fund requirements and other support would be made available for this purpose, Mr Gogoi added.
The chief minister also directed the Chief Secretary to take all preventive measures, including deployment of senior officials and to ensure that not a single life is lost due to lack of medical attention on the part of the Government.
The death toll in the riots in Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Districts (BTAD) and adjoining areas has climbed to 60 and indefinite curfew re-imposed in Chirang district, while night curfew remained in other affected areas, following three stray incidents on Sunday. (Agencies)