DC, Cachar makes impassioned plea to religious leaders to help contain COVID-19 pandemic

July 22: Deputy Commissioner, Cachar, Keerthi Jalli has made an impassioned plea to religious leaders of all faiths to join forces and focus on the common battle to defeat COVID-19, underscoring that it is time to rise in unison during the unprecedented times. Convening a meeting with religious leaders of all faiths at her office conference hall here on Wednesday, Deputy Commissioner Jalli said they can play a pivotal role in spreading the message of COVID-19 guidelines to the adherents of their faiths to arrest the spread of the disease.

Jalli urged the religious leaders to strictly adhere to the government guidelines of not more than 20 persons inside places of worship within the stipulated one hour time and not to allow assembling of people during Friday prayers and other religious events. The Deputy Commissioner said the religious leaders can prevail upon their followers to pray at home during the difficult times and not to congregate at temples, mosques, churches and other places of worship to prevent further spread of the disease.

The Deputy Commissioner urged them to ensure sanitisation of the premises and to maintain a register with details of the persons visiting the places of worship for the purpose of contact tracing in case of anyone being detected with COVID-19 positive. Jalli appealed to them not to allow anyone to enter the places of worship without wearing masks. Harping on COVID-19 protocols, Jalli urged the religious leaders to spread the message to their followers loud and clear on the importance of wearing masks, maintaining social distancing and personal hygiene to keep coronavirus at bay.

The Deputy Commissioner told them without mincing words that the administration would be forced to take punitive action if anyone violated the SoP of Government of India. Jalli also apprised the religious leaders about the slew of measures taken by the administration to deal with the COVID-19 situation.

Addressing the religious leaders, Superintendent of Police, Banwarilal Meena urged them to cooperate fully with the administration to contain COVID-19 pandemic. Meena said it has come to the notice of the police administration that there have been gatherings at religious places in some parts of the district especially in rural areas and urged the religious leaders to step in and to prevent such gatherings from taking place in the greater interest of the society.

The SP urged them to follow religiously the COVID-19 protocols and to extend all possible support and cooperation to the administration in tackling the situation. In the same breathe, the SP said that the police would ruthlessly enforce the wearing of masks and would impose penalty of Rs.1,000 on those defying the guidelines.

Additional Deputy Commissioner, Health, S.Sattawan said the rate of corona positive cases have doubled in a few days and it is against the gloomy backdrop the religious leaders must pitch in their efforts to help prevent further spread of the disease in the community. The Deputy Commissioner told the religious leaders that if they come across any persons with COVID like symptoms, they must tell such persons to report to Urban Testing Centre and seek appointment by contacting 9707107616.

The religious leaders, while thanking the Deputy Commissioner, for convening the meeting, assured of their unstinted support and cooperation to the administration in the fight against coronavirus. Jalli assured the religious leaders that their invaluable suggestions would be taken into consideration, including conveying their appeal to the government to help the religious institutions to tide over the financial crunch they are facing in the past three-four months due to the prevailing situation.

Religious leaders from Goudiya Math, Jew Mandir, Sri Shyamananda Ashram, Bharat Seva Ashram, RK Mission Sevashram, Silchar Akhonda Mandoli, Sri Sri Gopal Ashram, Silchar Bora Masjid, Silchar Iddgah Masjid, Silchar Kachari Masjid, Tarapur Masjid, ISKCON and Satsang Vihar attended the meeting. Additional Deputy Commissioners, Rajib Roy and Anis Rasul Mazumder also spoke on the occasion.