Shillong, May 21: Congress legislator from Rangsakona, Zenith M Sangma on Friday held Constituency level Covid management and monitoring Committee meeting at Rerapara Block headquarter. The meeting was attended by BDO, member Secretary, incharge of all the Police Stations and outposts, besides doctors from local PHCs.
The meeting highlighted the various development works within the Block and the constituency as a whole.
Being the frontline workers, the members of the committee are working overtime risking their lives to fight against the virus.
Local MLA and the chairperson of the Constituency level Covid management and monitoring Committee, Zenith M Sangma while giving details about the meeting said, “The meeting discussed at length on various aspects of the challenges faced in view of the surge in COVID 19 cases, we have also come up with various suggestions which are based on ground realities.”
“The main challenges that we are facing are, Acute Shortage of testing facility, Acute shortage of Vaccine and Acute shortage of Covid beds.”
Expressing concern, the Rangsakona Legislator further informed that in the entire district of South West Garo Hills District, only 9 Oxygen supported beds are there and of which 6 are already occupied.
“There were reports of police highhandedness in certain villages, I appeal to all concerned and the people in uniform not to manhandle the people while coming across certain challenges whereby people don’t cooperate with the authorities but try to convince and win over their hearts,” Zenith Sangma said.
The meeting also observed that even after the provisions of (1) Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, and (2) Disaster Management Act, 2005 are invoked, subsequently ( based on these), after the rights of the citizens are curtailed, the authority or the Government is not giving any essential materials as relief measures.
“ When the government is curtailing or restricting the free movement of the people, it is incumbent upon the government to look after their daily needs in terms of essential commodities,” the meeting observed.
“Later after the meeting was over, I visited Asinagre village which has been declared as a Containment Zone for the last few days,” Sangma said.
Later, he distributed Rice, dal, soaps and eggs to all the households at Asinagre and Dolbari villages. The MLA will be distributing essential items to some more villages tomorrow.