Assam: Lockdown Rules Violated in Kokrajhar, Distribution of Rice to BPL Families without 'Social Distancing'

Kokrajhar, April 2, 2020:

Assam has reported another violation of lockdown in Kokrajhar district wherein many Below-Poverty-Line (BPL) families gathered without maintaining the mandatory 'social distance' issued by the Government.

Members of the unprivileged families had gathered in long queues to avail the ration so that they get to feed themselves during the lockdown, which will continue till April 15. However, after authorities learned about the matter, Police personnel were sent to the site and the crowd was dispersed to arrest the spread of the coronavirus infection.

Kokrajhar Magistrate, R Dutta said, "The administration did not brief us regarding this development. We were uninformed. When I came across this area, I saw the gathering and then learned about the rice distribution. We had a word with the Secretary and now we have decided to distribute the rice in the respective wards of the families and not here. They should have informed us beforehand, we could have then arranged something for the proper distribution during the lockdown in Assam."

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She also informed that after proper instructions only the rest of the rice will be distributed among the families. It needs mention here that thousands of beneficiaries of the National Food Security Mission had thronged the Board to get rice during the lockdown period.

The co-operative society personnel were distributing rice among beneficiaries of ten wards under Kokrajhar municipality board. The district administration has initiated stern measures against the cooperative society for violating lockdown rules and the rice distribution has also been halted.

The Office bearer of the Kokrajhar cooperative society said that the higher authorities of the food and civil supplies department had instructed to distribute the rice and accordingly the distribution was initiated for the ward beneficiaries.

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This is an instance of lack of transparency among the Government Officials in Assam. While the local authorities were not informed, the ones distributing were clueless about the whole execution.

While the officials get clarity among themselves, thousands of BPL families still remain clueless as to when they would receive ration and feed themselves. The lockdown has become a boon for some to bond with their dear ones and for some it has become a curse.

Trade has been stopped. People living hand to mouth now have become jobless. Uncertainty over their income source and struggles looms large with their eyes now set on the lockdown to end.

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Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus (or COVID-19) cases in India has soared to 2,032 cases of the virus. The death toll, meanwhile, has risen to 58. 148 people have recovered so far.

The number of cases of the new coronavirus or COVID-19 across the world have risen to 951,906 with 48,320 deaths reported so far. 202,886 people have recovered so far.

Of the 202,886 cases which are active, 36,166 (or 5%) are said to be in critical condition.

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