GUWAHATI, May 13: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has directed the Majuli deputy commissioner to ramp up COVID tests and make tests mandatory at all entry points to the river island district.
Sarma, who visited Majuli district on Thursday as part of the district-wise assessment of COVID-19 trends by Cabinet ministers, also directed the authorities to generate mass awareness about the importance of following COVID-19 protocols for containing the spread of the pandemic.
A COVID-19 review meeting was held with the deputy commissioner and other senior officers at Majuli deputy commissioner’s office conference hall during which Sarma directed strict implementation of restrictions for containing the pandemic.
The chief minister also took stock of the availability of ICU beds in the district along with oxygen, medicines, health infrastructure etc., in view of the rising number of cases.
Sarma also reviewed the status of implementation of various schemes in Majuli and stressed on ensuring quality of construction and timely completion of ongoing schemes in the district.
He instructed for strengthening vulnerable points of the embankments in the district on war footing ahead of the floods.
Construction of Majuli-Jorhat connecting bridge, status of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, road construction, Ro-Pax ferry service to and from Jorhat, activities of agriculture department also came up for review in the meeting.
The chief minister also looked into matters such as setting up offices of the District Elementary Education Officer (DEEO), making the stay of staff of various government offices in the district compulsory instead of travelling from outside, etc.
Apart from deputy commissioner Bikram Kairi, MP Pradan Baruah, SP Aparna Natrajan, joint director of health services in Majuli along with officials of various departments were present in the meeting.