Bhubaneswar: On this day in 2020, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik took the most significant and bold decision and declared the Covid-19 pandemic a State Disaster for Odisha under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005. Addressing the State Assembly after a detailed review meeting with the Cabinet members, Naveen urged the four and half crore people of Odisha to join together and help fight the Coronavirus pandemic.
In his statement in the Assembly, Naveen said “Very few times in the history of the world have human beings as a race faced challenges beyond their comprehension. With advances in science, this phenomenon has become a rarity. However, the last 45 days has seen human beings as a race facing one of the biggest challenges of the century”.
“We are faced with a threat that does not discriminate between developed countries and under developed countries between democratic or Non-democratic countries. Rich and Poor societies all are equally vulnerable”, the CM said.
UK’s Health Minister, the first family of Canada, Senators in the US, Half of Iran’s Cabinet, major Movie stars, Sports persons the virus has not spared any one. This extra ordinary circumstance calls for an extra ordinary response.
“This response cannot be only at the individual, Government or Sectoral level. Each one of us in Odisha has to rise to the occasion, and be responsible. In the absence of any Vaccine or treatment, our collective responsibility is the only hope we have, to fight this epidemic”, Naveen said.
The CM also said, “I must confess the entire world is on a learning curve about handling this disaster. This is where it is very important that the four and half crore Odias join together and help us in managing the situation. Each one of us has a responsibility to ourselves, to our families and to the communities we live in”. The only effective measure so far has been social distancing. All of us should ruthlessly practice social distancing, the CM said.
With the declaration of the pandemic as a state disaster, all educational institutions were closed till 31.03.2020 except for holding examinations. Also, non-essential official gatherings such as seminars, workshops, conferences were cancelled. Social gatherings and assemblies like religious functions, marriage receptions, parties etc., regulated by local authorities and Cinema Halls, swimming pools and gyms shut down till 31.03.2020. Just keep interactions to the most essential levels and even in that take all precautions, the CM urged the people of Odisha.
“We must remain calm but not complacent. We must remain prepared, but not panic. The State Cabinet met this morning and declared COVID-19 as a disaster for the State under the provisions of Disaster Management Act, 2005 to adequately empower our public officials to combat the spread of COVID-19”, the CM added.
The Health & Family Welfare Department and its Directorates, as well as the Collectors and the Municipal Commissioners have been authorised for making emergency procurement of necessary drugs and consumables, equipment and other required services etc. as are necessary to prevent, contain COVID-19, the CM further said.
The competent officers have been authorised to impose required restrictions on assemblies, establishments aiming at ‘social distancing’ to contain the spread of the disease by invoking powers under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 and the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, congregations, institutions and An Empowered Group of Ministers has been constituted and a Committee of Secretaries under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary to be constituted to evaluate the emerging situation and take all necessary steps for preventing, containing the spread of COVID-19 in the State, he stated.
On the same day, the COVID-19 Odisha Regulations, 2020 were approved and an amount of Rs 200 crore were earmarked to augment the Public Health Response Fund to combat the threat of the pandemic and for making required expenditure.
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