UP govt appoints senior IAS, IPS officials to monitor fight against virus in three districts

The Uttar Pradesh government has appointed senior IAS and IPS officers to monitor the fight against coronavirus in Agra, Meerut and Kanpur, which are among the worst-hit districts in the state.

The decision came after a spurt in infection cases and lockdown violations in the districts in the past some days, Director (Information) Shishir said.

Additional Chief Secretary (Home and Information) Awanish Awasthi said on the directions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, UP State Industrial Development Authority MD Anil Garg and IG Deepak Ratan have been given the command of the COVID Care (a monitoring unit) in Kanpur.

Principal Secretary (Infrastructure) Alok Kumar and IG Vijay Kumar have been posted in Agra while the charge of the monitoring unit in Meerut has been given to Irrigation Department Principal Secretary T Venkatesh and IG Laxmi Singh.

Orders have also been issued to post two senior officers of the Health Department in the each of the three districts.

The officers will submit a report regarding the districts to the chief minister every morning and evening, Awasthi said.

The chief minister during a review meeting on Sunday told officials that the coronavirus lockdown must be strictly implemented, a statement issued by the UP government said.

Adityanath reiterated that the state government is committed for the safe and successful homecoming of migrants.

"The medical check-up of all migrants workers must be done," he directed. Awasthi said on Sunday, over 70,000 people returned to Uttar Pradesh in 57 trains.

"About three lakh people are expected to return in the coming days," he said.

Adityanath has also said that people involved in the preparation of food in community kitchens in the state should be tested on a daily basis.

The community kitchens must be regularly sanitised, he told the officials. "People cooking food in various community kitchens should be medically tested on a daily basis. Cleanliness must be ensured at these community kitchens. These should be regularly sanitised. It should also be ensured that the community kitchens prepare adequate food for the needy," the CM said.

He asked officials to encourage the use of 'Aayush Kavach COVID' app and said the coronavirus testing capacity in the state should be increased.