MC, NGOs ‘reaching out’ to 9,000 people everyday

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, March 30

Municipal Corporation Commissioner Bikramjit Singh Shergill on Monday said the MC was making all-out efforts to combat Covid-19. He said to make sure all essential items reach residents, Bathinda city had been divided into10 sectors. A responsible officer has been appointed for each sector, so that he can reach out to every corner.

While talking to mediapersons, the Commissioner said the MC had sprayed 2 lakh litres of disinfectants in the city so far. He said in addition to two tractor-operated pumps, man-operated pumps were also being used. The spraying of disinfectants had been going on since March 18 and was continuing in public places of the city, government offices and residential areas.

He said sodium hypochlorite spray was being sprayed in places, where human touch happens. Shergill said according to the opinion of medical experts from the MC, permanent employees older than 50 years have been exempted from risky duties. While the MC is constantly cleaning the city, garbage is being picked from homes. Night-time cleaning and night-time garbage collection is also on in the city.

“Similarly, the corporation has provided 8,800 cloth masks to protect its employees and other people from the disease. As many as 3,000 medical masks have also been distributed along with 18,000 gloves and 300 litre sanitiser,” he said.

Further, he claimed that no citizen of the city would go hungry during this difficult period. Therefore, according to the directions of the Punjab Government and with the help of the social organisations of the city, 8,000 to 9,500 people were being provided with cooked food in the morning and evening. He thanked the citizens for their support. He said NGOs and MC’s own resources were coordinating with the needy people living in places such as Khet Singh Basti, Jogi Nagar, Behind Dugal Palace and the bridge near Rose Garden among other areas.

He said as per the directives of Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, packets were being prepared and distributed to provide dry ration to the needy. So far, 3,000 packets have been distributed and 2,000 more were being prepared. Therefore, the ration received from the city donors was being packed and supplied to the needy. The district police are also assisting in this work. He said upon receiving information of any migrant worker or other needy, the corporation is making sure that he gets two meals a day. He appealed to donors to give dry ration, which is to be supplied in the city.

Talking about ration supply, he said now, 20 stores have been set up in the city for supply and if any other big store wants to join this service, he can get approval by linking with the MC. But such a store would have to deliver items at homes and he would not be allowed to do over the counter sales.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.