Coronavirus: Assam govt cancels all examinations, directs 50 pct state employees to work from home

Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said that the state government has taken all preventive measures to check the Coronavirus outbreak.

“We have cancelled all types of examination in the state till March 31. Apart from that, we have also decided that, from March 21, 50 percent employees of the government departments will work from home. 50 percent employees of the government departments will attend office and the remaining 50 percent will work from home. This rotational system will be continued till March 31," Sarma said.

"But the employees of the essential services including health, fire brigade, police etc will have to continue their duties regularly. There will be no leave for the employees of health department including the minister,” Sarma added.

The Assam minister further said that the state government has also decided to close down all crowded areas in the state in the next 48 hours to stop mass gatherings.

“We are conducting the screening process at all airports, railway stations, land ports and other places in the state. From March 22, we will start the hand-stamping process at airports, railway stations and other places for the people who will come to the state from outside. No standing person will be in buses or trains,” the Assam minister said.

He further said that – “No positive case has found so far in spite of our continuous testing process in the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) accredited four laboratories in the state. From today we have issued some certain instructions for social distancing. We have already sent a recommendation to the State Election Commission to take appropriate decision for Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) election in view of Coronavirus. Every commercial shop, the business establishment should be installed handwashing facilities.”

Sarma also said that the Assam government has decided to provide 2000 US dollar to each person from Assam who travelled abroad in last 30 days and stuck in the foreign countries because of centre’s decision that, no incoming aircraft will be allowed.

“So many students from Assam have now been stuck in various countries. We will transfer the 2000 US dollar to them. For that, the state government has opened a separate e-mail id. Our people are working day and night and we will do everything at our command to see that Coronavirus doesn’t spread in our state," said he.

He also said that the Assam BJP has announced that the people of the state should cooperate with the appeal made by the Prime Minister for Janata curfew on March 22.

“I think the announcement has already created a big awareness and it will be followed in Assam in letter and spirit,” Himanta said.

Around 79,000 people have been screened at all the airports, railway stations and other places in the state including 16508 passengers at airports.

The Assam minister said that a total of 1003 people are under home quarantine and 164 people have completed 28 days period.

On the other hand, 41 people are in isolation wards in various government-run hospitals in the state.

A total of 57 samples have been tested and all are found negative.

(By Hemanta Kumar Nath, Guwahati)