GUWAHATI, July 9: Areas where illegal liquor hubs exist transform into COVID hotspots, observed Assam minister Pijush Hazarika on Friday.
“Based on my own research, I have figured out that areas where illegal liquor hubs exist, transform into COVID hotspots, Hazarika, who has been appointed as Biswanath district’s guardian minister, said while reviewing the COVID situation in the district.
He further issued strict instructions to the district and police administration to destroy all illegal liquor hubs in Biswanath within three days.
“If we are to control the COVID situation in Biswanath district, all liquor hubs will have to be destroyed within three days. There will be no compromise on this ground. I want everyone to take this order with utmost seriousness,” Hazarika said.
He further said that the circle officers would be answerable in the event of non-compliance of his order in their respective revenue circles.
The minister also asked the administration and the health department to ramp up vaccination in and around areas which have been identified as COVID hotspots.
“To minimise the risk of a positive patient transmitting the virus to others, home isolation should not be encouraged at all. Only those patients who strictly meet all the criteria of home isolation as laid down by National Health Mission (NHM), should be allowed to stay at home,” the minister said.
Round-the-clock curfew has been clamped in Biswanath district since June 28. Figures show that the positivity rate has come down from 3.35 per cent in the pre-curfew days to 2.77 per cent.