Take action against landlords asking coronavirus doctors,nurses to vacate houses:Governor to DGP

Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi on Monday instructed the DGP to take strict action against the landlords asking doctors, nurses and medical staff to vacate their rented accommodation for treating COVID-19 patients. Reviewing the ongoing situation in the state with top officials, Mukhi said he has come across reports, where the doctors and paramedical staff living in rented apartments are being asked by the landlords to vacate the houses. The Governor asked the Director General of Police to take stern action against such landlords and ensure the safety of the health workers, an official release said.

He emphasised that the men and machinery of the government should be fully deployed to mitigate the emergent situation arising out of COVID-19 in the state. Stating that migratory population is a major problem, Mukhi said he will take up the matter with Chief Ministers of the respective states and the Home Department to deal with it. He said that considering the status of the pandemic in other advanced countries and the rising number of infected persons with every passing day, the situation in India presumably is very controlled.

"However, complete lockdown for 21 days to keep the people of the country indoors, away from social gathering is essential to contain and control the outbreak of the virus," he added. The Governor also said that he had a talk with all the Vice Chancellors of the Universities and accordingly online classes are to be imparted to the students. Assam Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna said the government is coordinating with the Indian Railways for carriage and supply of essential goods. Additional Chief Secretary (Home and Political) Jishnu Barua apprised on the constitution of various state-level task forces and meetings conducted at different levels to tackle the outbreak of the pandemic in the state.

Health and Family Welfare Principal Secretary Samir Sinha said though no positive case has been detected, the department is ready to face any contingency. "The workforce has been expanded by deployment of MBBS, BDS and BSc nursing students. Also, 42,000 ASHA workers are functioning at the grassroot level and are generating mass awareness," he added.