Advisor Khan reviews COVID-19 control measures, service delivery in Kathua

Kathua: Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor J&K, Farooq Khan Thursday reviewed the COVID-19 prevention and service delivery mechanism put in place by the District Administration here at a meeting.
He appreciated the efforts of District Administration in containing the spread of contagion and providing quarantine facilities to over 3200 people, who entered the UT after 23rd March.
During the meeting with District heads of various departments, the Advisor inquired about the ration being provided to the ration card holders, migrant labourers, destitute and the needy families amid the restrictions. He further inquired about the scale of the ration being provided to each family during this period.
He directed the AD Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, to immediately start distribution of two-month free ration among the AAY and Priority Household ration card families.
Advisor Khan also inquired about the preparations made by the Health Department to combat the pandemic. He sought details about stock of COVID-19 testing kits, isolation capacity of Associated Hospital of Kathua GMC and overall Health infrastructure in the District. He directed the Deputy Commissioner, O P Bhagat and the CMO to issue an advisory to all those inmates, who have completed 14 day quarantine to isolate themselves for few more days at their homes for the safety of their families.
He also asked the District Administration to promote the use of washable masks instead of single use masks, which may become another health concern among the users.
He also highlighted the need for spreading awareness among the masses about importance of social distancing and discourage long queues in front of banks and shops.
He asked the District Administration to devise a mechanism to open book shops in a segregated manner to facilitate students without creating gathering.
The Advisor complimented the District Administration for smooth migration of nomadic families from the plain to hilly areas during the lockdown.
He directed the Engineers of PHE and PDD to maintain supply of drinking water and electricity in the district as well as at all quarantine centers so that people do not face inconvenience.
Earlier, Farooq Khan also visited Lakhanpur and took first hand appraisal of the arrangements put in place to regulate the entry of traffic inside the UT.
He was informed that a 24X7 control room has been established at Lakhanpur to facilitate the trucks carrying essential consumable items and ambulances carrying patients. He was also told about the SOP being followed at Lakhanpur for carrying patients in ambulances and private vehicles.
The Advisor also visited the quarantine centre at Lakhanpur and interacted with the inmates there.
He also visited the Associated Hospital of GMC Kathua and inspected the arrangements made by the department to meet any exigency due to the pandemic and running the routine OPD at the hospital.
Meanwhile, the DDC and the SSP gave details of various measures taken to facilitate people amid preventive restrictions. He was told that ICDS Anganwari workers and helpers are providing door to door dry nutrition to the beneficiaries including children and expecting mothers. Labor department is facilitating financial assistance through DBT to 3476 registered labourers in the district, he was informed.
It was further informed that the Police, in collaboration with the volunteers is ensuring delivery of essential items and medicines at the door step of the household on just a mobile call.
The designated officers for Control room at Lakhanpur, Arun Manhas and Arvind Karwani; SSP Kathua, Shailendar Mishra; SSP Traffic, M L Kaith; ADC Kathua, Atul Gupta; PO, ICDS, Ritu Mahajan; ACD, Narayan Dutt; Principal GMC, Dr. Suleman Choudhary; CMO, Dr. Ashok Choudhary, Engineers and other District officers were present on the occasion.