Corona curfew: Community kitchen to operate in UP for daily wage workers

Lucknow: Realising that due to covid curfew daily wage earners are at the receiving end, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that it should be ensured that there is no shortage of food for any labourers, carts, street vendors, daily labourers and in such a situation a ‘community kitchen’ need to be operated.

“The Agriculture Production Commissioner should make necessary efforts in this regard,” CM said while presiding over a high-level covid review meeting here on Tuesday.

CM also asked officials to make oxygen available to the people under treatment in home isolation. “This system should be implemented effectively in all districts. If a patient’s family is trying for cylinder refilling, the person should be helped while the entire operation will be looked after by the Additional Chief Secretary, Home,” he said.

He was apprised that all necessary efforts are being made to improve the supply of oxygen in the state. A total of 783 metric tonnes of oxygen was supplied on Monday. The oxygen audit has also brought in required results reducing unnecessary consumption or wastage, CM said.

“Efforts are also being made to make oxygen gas from nitrogen plants by making technical changes. Special efforts are being made by the Sugarcane Development Department and the Excise Department to generate oxygen in sugar mills and distilleries. Supplies are also being provided directly from the MSME units by connecting them to hospitals,” he said.

While the need for oxygen is being assessed in all the districts of the state, a Train carrying oxygen was operated on Monday for smooth supply in Bareilly, Moradabad and adjoining areas. Oxygen has been transported by air service to Agra. Oxygen Express will come with 40 tonnes of oxygen from Jamnagar (Gujarat) within the next one or two days. Similarly, a train with 10 tankers from Jamshedpur will run on Tuesday. A tanker is also supplying oxygen from West Bengal.

In a specific instruction, the Chief Minister has expected all the employees and workers of Covid Integrated Control and Command Center to attend to relatives of the patient sympathetically. “Our cooperative attitude will be big support for the family in these testing times. Provide proper information to the personnel providing services in the helpline,” the CM directed. (UNI)