Battle against coronavirus could be long-drawn-out: Uttarakhand CM

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Monday warned that battle against coronavirus could be a long-drawn-out process in which caution and awareness would serve as most effective weapons.

dressing panchayat representatives of state through e-dialogue (Samv), Rawat praised m for fighting battle against pandemic as true warriors and said y also h a major role to play in achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a self-reliant India.

"In times of corona, role of people's representatives has become even more important. battle against COVID-19 may go on for long and we will have to pay more attention to caution and awareness to overcome challenge posed by pandemic," he said.

Awareness will have to be created among people in rural areas about indispensability of physical distancing, wearing masks and hand sanitisation, he ded.

Claiming that COVID fatality rate in India was lower and recovery rate better than or countries, Rawat said India has fought battle against coronavirus in a better way than several countries which boasted of better health infrastructure.

chief minister said 3.28 lakh migrants were brought back to state from different parts of country for humanitarian reasons despite risk of a surge in cases but required arrangements were put in place to grapple with challenge.

equate ventilators, ICU wards, isolation beds and or resources are available to deal with any emergency, he said. More than 2,000 samples are being tested in Uttarakhand daily at present which will furr be ramped up in coming days.

      He said a collective endeavour is needed to translate Prime Minister's vision of a self-reliant India into a reality and panchayat representatives h a great role to play in that as country's overall development is t possible without developed vills for which a pack of Rs 20 lakh crore has been given.

Rawat also spoke of Rs 2,000 crore sanctioned recently by Centre for BharatNet phase II programme in Uttarakhand saying that digital connectivity initiative will revolutionise telecommunication and internet connectivity in state.

It will make internet available in 5,991 gram panchayats under 65 blocks spre over 12 districts and usher in a new era of development in state, he said.