U'khand readies Covid plan with monsoon in mind | Economic Times

The nine hill districts are emerging as a major concern for the Uttarakhand government, with new Covid-19 cases increasing and the rainy season approaching.Keeping in mind connectivity issues, the state government has decided to station one helicopter each at Chinyalisaur (Uttarkashi) and Pithoragarh. These two choppers will be used for Covid-related relief activities for more than four months beginning from June 15.The Tirath Singh Rawat government recently appointed around 350 doctors in order to strengthen community health centres (CHCs) and primary health centres (PHCs).The state is also deploying Ayurvedic, homeopathic practitioners and dentists in the hill districts, said agriculture minister Subodh Uniyal, who is also state government’s spokesperson. He said the state government has already floated a global tender for Sputnik vaccines. “We are trying our best to ensure availability of oxygen facilities at CHCs and PHCs across the state. We have also started forming Covid monitoring committees at gram panchayat level. These committees will be headed by the gram pradhans,” said Uniyal.According to him, village chiefs have been allowed to spend 20 per cent of the funds allocated for Covid-related works in the villages concerned. He said the government has also given priority to arranging oxygen concentrators and mobile testing facilities for remote areas.Among the hill districts, Pauri Garhwal had the highest number of new cases on Tuesday, at 509. While Tehri Garhwal and Almora registered 348 and 320 cases respectively on Tuesday, Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts saw 241 and 195 cases respectively. Even as the hilly regions are a cause for concern, the cities and towns in the plains, including Dehradun and Haridwar, are witnessing a fall in Covid-19 cases. While Dehradun recorded 1,226 cases on Tuesday, Haridwar, Nainital and Udham Singh Nagar registered 555, 442 and 372 cases respectively. Anoop Nautiyal, founder of the Uttarakhand-based Social Development for Community Foundation, said the first focus should be on increasing tests, developing networks of labs, strengthening healthcare facilities and ensuring oxygen supply pipelines. “The field force of gram pradhans, Asha (accredited social health activists) and anganwadi workers needs to be empowered with resources and training. District war rooms should be set up on a war footing. Mass community awareness is the need of the hour,” he said.