Port Blair, Apr 06: Marketplaces are visited by large number of people for their daily needs, shopping, entertainment, and food. Amid COVID pandemic, with gradual opening of economic activities, markets are witnessing high footfalls. Such large gatherings, without observance of COVID-9 appropriate behaviour have the potential to spread Coronavirus disease.
In order to articulate COVID appropriate behavior in the market area, Shri. Suneel Anchipaka, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, South Andaman along with Shri. Ravi Kumar Singh, IPS, Superintendent of Police started special drive in Aberdeen Market area where public announcement were made along with enforcement of social distancing through penalizing defaulters.
The owners of Tanas Textiles, Tamil Nadu Medicals, City Shopping Centre and Milan Bakery were penalized for disobeying District Administration’s order for COVID appropriate behavior. General public are requested to obey directions issued from time to time by the District Administration to check the spread of COVID-19 in the Islands. Observance of physical distancing in crowded places, especially in markets and public transport are also critical for containing the spread of the infection. The SOPs issued to regulate crowds in market places, shall be strictly enforced by the district administration.
The District Administration shall take all necessary measures to promote COVID-19 appropriate behaviour. Strict enforcement of wearing of face masks, hand hygiene and physical distancing must be ensured. In order to enforce this core requirement, the District Administration shall consider administrative actions, including the imposition of appropriate fines, on persons not wearing face masks in public and workspaces. The District Administration shall ensure the accountability of the officers concerned in this regard.
Further, the Deputy Commissioner, South Andaman along with Superintendent of Police, South Andaman and representatives of Health Department, CISF, AAI also visited VSI Airport to oversee testing facilities. Directions were given to concerned officials to implement random RAT at the airport. Passengers are also requested to cooperate with the District Administration in curbing the COVID-19 cases in the Islands.
The Deputy Commissioner, South Andaman reiterated that five-fold strategy of Testing, Tracing, Treatment, COVID-appropriate behaviour and vaccination should be meticulously implemented.
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