By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: Sarpanchs were in Odisha enjoying Collector power. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday administered oath to sarpanchs through video conferencing to create awareness on COVID-19 at village level.
The sarpanchs pledged to keep people coming from outside the state and other villages in quarantine and to look after their stay, food and medicines.“To stop the foot steps of corna in village, we will take all necessary steps as per government and implement it strictly. We will not let Coronavirus enter our panchayat,” they oath read.
The CM had earlier delegated powers of a district collector to the sarpanchs to aid the fight against coronavirus and ensure mandatory quarantine of returnees at the panchayats.
The decision assumed significance as one-third of people who tested positive for the virus had either travelled to West Bengal or came in contact with those returning from the neighbouring state.
