Leading from front to contain and mitigate threat from Covid 19, Ropar Police has fully harnessed public support motivating nearly 70% of villages already to self-isolate to ensure against spread of deadly virus, with district force providing all round support including training to youth and supplying essential goods.The pre-emptive strategy, with involvement of 1200 volunteers specially chosen, has definitely worked given the district surrounded with three hotspots has stayed safe till now, disclosed SSP Ropar Swapnil Sharma. With 440 foreign-returned individuals under quarantine; out of 14 suspected samples, 11 have already tested negative. Test results of other three are awaited, he added. Disclosing further, he said youth clubs and volunteers have been roped in with help from Panchayts for this who are leading the vigil at 424 villages - making up around 74% of district population of the District - with more to be included. These volunteers are being directed and informed about the latest guideline and procedures through social media groups which are administered from the police war room in district headquarters, SSP Swapan Sharma said further.More than 30,000 packets of cooked food and 17,600 packets of dry ration have already been distributed in the last eight days after the curfew was enforced, he added.
We are acting as a cohesive unit alongwith all sarpunches, lamardars, chowkidars and ex-servicemen of the villages to assess ground situation and paucity of essential supplies, SSP further said adding that all directions and advisories of health department and the government were being announced from the village gurdwara sahibs and temples. This direct link of communication has helped in effectively dealing with the situation, he added.Sharing further information, SP HQ, Ropar Jagjeet Singh said that at any point of time 500 food packets of dry ration are readily available in district police office. One packets is enough for 14 meals. Whenever there is a distress call on 112 regarding food, dedicated teams of district police swing in action and provide food packets to the needy.My panchayat has motivated people to not to go out of village. No one is being allowed to visit their relatives nor let others to come inside the village. This is time of emergency and requires restraints by everyone. Hardship for Punjabis is a way of life, said. Gurcharan Singh, a social worker from Akbarpur village added that state government and police have come to our aid. Every problem is being addressed and citizens are cooperating with the police. Some problems do arise but we solve them together.One vehicle with ration, vegetables and medicines comes to my village entrance twice a day, said Jaswant Singh, Sarpanch of Village Valamgarh. In case of emergency we dial 112 and police response is applaudable, he added.