Maintain utmost vigilance to keep Sikkim COVID-free: Chief secretary

Gangtok, May 10 () Sikkim Chief Secretary S C Guptaon Sunday called for maintaining utmost vigilance and ensuringcompliance of all the guidelines to keep COVID-19 at bay inthe state.

The tiny border state of Sikkim with a population ofmore than six lakhs is one of the few COVID-19-free states ofthe country.

Presiding over a state task force meeting, Gupta saidthat the need of the hour was to be vigilant and adhere to allthe guidelines of the central and state governments to keepthe state free from the clutches of the deadly novelcoronavirus.

The chief secretary reviewed the evacuation processand expressed satisfaction at the process of screening andquarantine of returnees over the last few days.

He said that the Centre was likely to make provisionfor special trains for northeastern states to evacuate thepeople stranded across the country.

The chief secretary said that after the authoritiesrelaxed some lockdown regulations, Sikkim has fared muchbetter than other states in terms of resumption of economicactivities.

It was evident from the data provided by the districtcollectors that most of the labourers are preferring to stayback in Sikkim, he said.

Gupta emphasized on strict implementation of socialdistancing norms and said that resumption of normalcy does notmean that people start taking things for granted.

He said that the implementation of 'The Sikkim PublicHealth and Safety (COVID-19) Regulations, 2020' as aregulatory measure for containment of COVID-19 in Sikkim,makes violation of social distancing norms and not wearingmasks in public places a punishable offence.

The chief secretary issued strict directives to allthe district collectors and superintendents of police tostrictly implement the rules and ensure that social distancingnorms are not violated. KDKMM MM