Bhubaneswar: Senior IAS officers appointed as COVID observers for various districts have been given the task of opening up of economic activities halted due to the lockdown.
The senior officers have been instructed to take necessary steps for resuming the economic activities in the districts under their supervision, official sources said here, Wednesday.
The observers will look after reopening of local markets with strict enforcement of social distancing and other norms. They will also give suggestions to the district administration on resumption of government works, private construction works, re-opening of industries & mining activities and wage employment programmes, the source said.
The district Collectors have been directed to directly report to them on daily basis and follow up on the observers’ suggestions.
The observers would advise the districts in developing an impactful monitoring and supervision system to effectively check the disease spread while opening of all economic activities by following the appropriate guidelines, advisories and standard operating procedure issued by the Centre and the state government from time to time, they said.
The COVID observers will also undertake physical visit to the allotted districts at least once in a fortnight and make detailed review and assessment of the situation.
The senior officers will guide the district administration in management of COVID-19 including handling the quarantine facility and sample testing.
They have also been directed to work for management of COVID-19 hospitals including COVID care centres at block level, mobilisation and deployment of health professionals and workers.
Implementation of containment strategy including testing, contact tracing and isolation would be reviewed periodically.
Besides, they will also monitor intra state and inter-district movement of labourers and agriculture & allied sector operations.
