Coronavirus: Assam prepared to deal with any eventuality, says Sonowal

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday said the state's health department is fully prepared to deal with any eventuality in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic. He also urged personnel associated with essential services like civil and police administration, banks, and fire brigade to carry out their duties responsibly in this hour of crisis.

The Chief Minister appealed to people of the state to remain indoors as social distancing and avoidance of mass gathering are the significant precautionary measures in the absence of any standard treatment for COVID-19. He added that no positive case of coronavirus has so far been reported in Assam.

Sonowal asked officials of the supply department to strengthen the existing supply chain to ensure the availability of essential commodities, and to keep a watch on markets in order to control prices. Meanwhile, officials said the Kamrup (Metro) district administration has been directed to organise relief camps/dharamsalas at suitable locations to accommodate stranded people from outside the state, who are unable to travel due to disruption of train and flight services.

Likewise, the General Administrative Department (GAD) will be arranging for dharamsalas/guest houses in different parts of the country, particularly in Kolkata, where people from Assam are stuck up, they said.