‘Countering myths my prime concern’

Navtej Singh Cheema, Sultanpur Lodhi

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REGULATION of accurate information and countering myths and scaremongering has been among the first concerns we have in the constituency for our people. The second is disbursal of ration and the third insulating the farm sector.

Initially, people got very scared, because many in our area are NRIs and there was a lot of talk about NRIs spreading it. But we have started an effective chain of WhatsApp and FB groups and information dissemination system to counter fear-mongering. All key information regarding Covid-19, outreach of ration and farm-related issues is circulated through these groups. The first three people who tested positive in Sultanpur Lodhi also got caught through these groups. Thirteen people from Maharashtra who had come in taxis were trying to enter villages without undergoing mandatory checks. Alert villages reported these on groups and didn’t allow them to enter. So, a major crisis was averted. If they had been allowed to get into villages, they would have infected other persons.

Adequate arrangements have been made for those to be out under isolation. All returnees are being taken to Bebe Nanki Sarai, where one floor with 70-80 rooms has been dedicated to Covid-19. More rooms have also been assured if need be. Villages have also been asked to dedicate 20 beds per village at makeshift units set up in schools for Covid. In meetings and social media announcements, villagers had been asked to do it eight days ago.

We shall also be ensuring ration to all families who need it or those under quarantine. We send ration packets to the BDO office. It is important to check genuine people and it is provided only to the needy. As far as agri sector is concerned, wheat has already been sold in mandis. In Sultanpur Lodhi, 150 drills (sowing machines) have been ensured for farmers for sowing paddy. Other machines that are used for sowing have also come from Italy to aide farmers. We are trying to put machines to use as much as possible so that farmers don’t get impacted by the labour crisis. At mandis also, it was mostly village labourers on job. While migrant labourers were previously working, most of them have left. Labour costs have also escalated due to that. Farmers can’t cope with that so machines are a prime support. We will experiment shifting farming work to machine sector as much as possible

(AS TOLD TO Aparna Banerji)