Thiruvananthapuram, March 25 Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday held meeting with district authorities and top police officials through video conferencing, where he asked them to think out of the box to deal with the present coronavius crisis.
"The nation is passing through times that have never been witnessed before and to deal with this, all of you have to think out of the box to handle the evolving situation. Prime importance has to be given to ensuring uninterrupted supply of food and medicines and in this time of crisis, none should try to make any attempt to score political brownie points," said Vijayan.
"Authorities now should see that there is perfect well oiled machinery at the grassroots level to ensure that food is there for all. The local village council should ensure that community kitchens are set up and food should be cooked by professional cooks. It should then be supplied to the needy. Such activities should be extended to the hospitals where people are under observation, for this take the help of social groups that are there at the village level," added Vijayan.
"15 kilogram of rice will be given to those who are not in the priority list in the public distribution system. Plans are being worked out to see, if a special kit of provisions (essential items) can be distributed," said Vijayan.
He also asked the authorities to see that at homes where there is no separate bathroom for those under isolation, then such people should be moved out to other places.
Kerala is now entering the third phase of tackling COVID-19 and according to health authorities this is a very crucial phase.
All efforts are being made to ensure that there is no community spread and Vijayan is making it doubly sure, that there should be no violation of guidelines.
He has now given a free hand to the district authorities to maintain all efforts to see that violators are taken to task as by now more than 100 cases have been registered against people who have defied the orders to sit at home.
( With inputs from IANS )