Guwahati: Assam chief minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma recently visited two checkpoints on the West Bengal border to take stock of the Covid-19 situation and also review the management system. Accompanied by State health minister Keshab Mahanta and Bodoland Territorial Council chief Pramod Boro, Sarma visited Sagolia gate in Dhubri district on Tuesday.
“Sagolia is an important border corridor of Assam. The success of our fight against Covid-19 also depends on the management of this border including transportation of passengers and goods,” said Sarma, who served as the health minister during saffron leader Sarbananda Sonowal’s tenure in Dispur.
He earlier visited Srirampur gate in Kokrajhar district along the Bengal border and inspected the corona screening centre reviewing the data of incoming vehicles at the inter-State checkpoint. Sarma asked both the district administrations and also the State health department to ensure testing and strict isolation of corona positive cases. He asserted that screening remains a very important strategy to contain the Covid-19.
Sarma on Monday inaugurated 28 new ICU beds at Guwahati medical college hospital. He hoped that new ICU beds would greatly boost the treatment facilities for corona patients, which would be later used for non-corona critical patients too. On the previous day, 10 extra ICU beds were added to Kalapahar corona hospital in the city. Another 28 ICU beds would be added in GMCH and 10 more in Kalapahar hospital, he disclosed.
Meanwhile, Sarma set aside the idea of lockdown in Assam but the government continued the corona curfew till 5 June with preponing the timing in rural areas to 2 pm. The curfew time in rural areas of Assam was earlier started at 6 pm (up to 5 am). The odd-even numbers for vehicles will continue accordingly.
