The elected representatives of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) must come forward to help in transportation of Covid-19 patients under home isolation to hospital well in time in case their health condition deteriorates so that they could be ensured proper treatment in the hospital. This was stated by the Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while interacting with the elected representatives of the Panchayati Raj Institutions virtually from Shimla today.Chief Minister urged the elected representatives of the PRIs to keep a strict vigil during the current marriage season as it has been found that at many times, the people flout the SoPs issued by the State Government in this regard. He said that the elected representatives must ensure that only 20 people should be allowed to participate in such functions. He also urged them to motivate people for conducting marriages at homes without people from outside as this would go a long way in helping to check the spread of this pandemic.Jai Ram Thakur said that the PRIs must also keep a strict check of people coming to the villages from outside the State so that they could be motivated to remain in home quarantine. The district administration must also be informed regarding people coming from outside and also about the event in which large gatherings were expected. The people should also be motivated to strictly follow home quarantine protocols. He said that the representatives must also keep track of the people in home quarantine and effectively coordinate with them for medical help, medicines and shifting to hospitals wherever it was required.
The Chief Minister said that the elected representatives of the PRIs must also come forward to provide helping hand for cremation of the Covid-19 patients. The proper protocol must be followed while cremation of the body of the diseased due to Covid-19 and people must also be motivated for going for vaccination. He also urged to provide support and assistance to the physically challenged to get themselves vaccinated, this would not only prove instrumental in creating goodwill but would also help in vaccinating maximum people in the State. He said that this was moral responsibility of every citizen of the civilised society to help the State Government in checking the spread of this virus.Jai Ram Thakur said that panchayats must identify people in distress in various villages of the State so that they could be provided shelter, food and any other requirements during this hour of crisis. He said that for this the elected representatives of the PRIs must extend all possible help to them and also inform the district administration so that they could be provided the required assistance. He said that providing a helping hand to the people in distress was indeed a laudable philanthropic act and the PRIs must also motivate the people to come forward to help those infected and also to save and protect others to remain infection free.
The Chief Minister said that second wave of this pandemic was far more lethal and was a matter for concern for all of us. He said that the State Government was creating additional bed capacity to meet out the requirement. He said that there was not dearth of medicines, oxygen and other logistics required to ensure proper treatment of Covid-19 patients.Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Virender Kanwar, while welcoming the Chief Minister, said that the elected representatives of the PRIs had played vital role in containing the pandemic during the first wave last year. The second wave is further more fatal and matter of concern. He said that the newly elected representatives of the PRIs must come forward to help the State Government to check spread of this pandemic.Director Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department Lalit Jain welcomed the Chief Minister and conducted proceedings of the video conferencing meet.Pradhan Gram Panchayat Rinda of district Chamba Raj Kumar, Pradhan Gram Panchayat Dalash Ani district Kullu Satinder, Pradhan Jhundi Panchayat Seraj in Mandi district Nokh Singh, Pradhan GP Balala Dharamshala Kangra Om Prakash, Pradhan GP Kothi Kinnaur Panchayat Om Prakash, Pradhan Muchali Gram Panchayat district Una Vijay Kumar, Pradhan Sharog Brara Gram Panchayat Rohru Shimla district Chahat Chauhan, Pradhan GP Samirpur, Hamirpur district Chander Mohan Thakur and other representatives shared their views on the occasion.Chief Secretary Anil Khachi, Secretary Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Sandeep Bhatnagar, Advisor to the Chief Minister Dr. R.N. Batta and other officers attended the meeting.