BICHOLIM
Bicholim Mamlatdar Pravinjay Pandit on Tuesday convened a joint meeting with officials to review Covid preventive measures in Bicholim taluka, on a day when Covid active cases crossed the 100 mark in the taluka.
Active Covid cases have been recorded at the Bicholim Community Health Centre (58), Sankhali Community Health Centre (52) and Mayem Primary Health Centre (9).
On Tuesday, Pandit convened a joint meeting with health officers at the Bicholim CHC, Sankhali CHC and Mayem PHC, officials of labour department, block development officer, officials of Bicholim Municipal Council and Sankhali Municipal Council, to chalk out an action plan to prevent rising Covid cases in Bicholim taluka.
The Mamlatdar instructed health officers to increase testing of suspected persons with Covid-like symptoms and to trace and test those in contact with Covid patients, to prevent further spread of Covid.
The mamlatdar also instructed the Bicholim block development officer to instruct panchayat secretaries to create awareness on the Covid vaccination drive among those above 45 years.
Municipal officials were directed to penalise those not wearing face mask in market areas and to insist that shopkeepers and other business establishments adhere to social distancing in business activities, failing which action would be initiated against them under the Disaster Management Act.
The labour inspector was also directed to issue instructions to construction agencies to comply to Covid safety norms and to provide face masks, etc. to labourers engaged in construction activities.
Sankhali CHC Health Officer Dr Uttam Dessai and Mayem PHC Health Officer Dr Siddhi Kansar said they would increase testing of persons with Covid-related symptoms.
Bicholim Block Development Officer Shrikant Pednekar said he would issue directives to panchayat secretaries to create public awareness about the vaccination drive.
A social worker, Ramakant Shetye, suggested that the vaccination drive be conducted at the village level, so that people feel free to take vaccines in their villages itself, instead of travelling to health centres to receive the vaccines.
The mamlatdar said he would put forth the proposal to the collector for consideration and approval.
