‘My top priorities are tackling COVID-19 and flood’ says DC Karimganj

May 25: Deputy Commissioner, Khageswar Pegu said the two priorities accorded by his administration are to contain the COVID-19 pandemic situation and to tackle flood in the district.

Talking to media persons at his office conference hall here on Tuesday, Deputy Commissioner, Pegu said the administration is taking up a slew of measures to prevent the further spread of the disease by ramping up health infrastructure and stepping up vaccination drive. He said that he along with ADC (Health) has been personally monitoring the progress of the ICU at the civil hospital and has instructed the contractor to complete the process within 25 days. “Karimganj district requires ICU facility immediately as it does not have any.such facilities and is totally dependent on Silchar Medical College and Hospital for treatment of serious cases,” he equipped.

The Deputy Commissioner in his maiden press briefing with the media persons after assuming charge on Thursday, apprised the latest COVID-19 scenario in the district and the steps initiated by the administration, including opening up of new COVID Care Centres and the plans on the anvil to set up model vaccination centres at Indoor Stadium with necessary facilities and other places across the district.

Pegu said that the total positive cases as on Monday was 757 with recovery rate of 69.72% and death rate of 0.62%. One person succumbed to COVID-19 while 15 persons died due to co-morbidities with COVID-19 positivity in the second wave of the pandemic since March 1. He said the positive news has been that the positivity trend in the last 10 days has come down from 8% to 4.7% Pegu stated that altogether 93,129 RT-PCR and Rapid Antigen Tests were carried out with positivity rate of 2.75% since March 1.

He also mentioned that the total bed strength in the district is 360 with 35 oxygen beds. There are 91 patients in Karimganj COVID Hospital, four in District Jail and no patients at Badarpur Railway Hospital and MG Model Hospital. Apart from this, 20 railway coaches have been turned into isolation centres with a bed capacity of 320 with 40 oxygen support, he added.

As regards vaccination drive in the district, the Deputy Commissioner said 79,984 persons received the first jab and 21,404 completed the second dose with female outnumbering male. Pegu also briefed the media persons about the flood preparedness measures undertaken by the administration. He said Circle wise Level Task Force has been constituted to assess post flood damages and to submit report to him by September so that repairing work can be carried out in October and November itself. He said the NH is in good shape and there are some PWD roads that require some repairing for smooth transportation of essential commodities to the flood affected areas.

The Deputy Commissioner said that steps are being initiated in right earnest to clean the clogged drains and nullahs to prevent water logging in areas under the Karimganj Municipal Board. He said that he would convene a meeting with the prominent citizens to chalk out ways to mitigate the problem of water logging in the town. Pegu winded up his almost hour-long press briefing urging the media persons to extend support and cooperation to the administration in showcasing its good works and to bring to its notice any issues of civic concern that deserves the attention of the administration. ADC, Health, ADC, Revenue, Joint Director, Health Services, DIPRO and other officials were present on the occasion.