Chief minister Hemant Soren on Friday flagged off vehicles carrying relief material for the residents of Hindpiri, which has been declared a hotspot and sealed off after 15 persons from the locality tested positive for the novel coronavirus and one of them died.

The relief vehicle was loaded with essential items to cater to the needs of 8,000 families for 15 days in quarantine. The items included rice, pulses, potato, onion, mustard oil, tea leaf, sugar, soap and salt.

“Sankraman ke virudh hum sab ko mil kar ladna hai (we have to put up a united fight against the infection),” Hemant told a section of the media at Gurunanak Higher Secondary School, which has been converted into a relief centre for Hindpiri residents.

“Providing food to each and everyone is my responsibility. People are expected to co-operate with the district administration during testing and follow the instructions,” the chief minister said.

Hemant also thanked the district administration for a cheque of Rs 10 lakh to the chief minister’s relief fund and Parle-G company for providing 2 lakh packets of biscuits and 10,000 anti-bacterial soaps.

The chief minister said Hindpiri-like arrangements would be made at all the coronavirus-affected areas in the state.

Replying to a query on migrant labourers stranded in other states during the lockdown, Hemant said they were being provided cash through their bank accounts.

Principal secretary Rajeev Arun Ekka, Ranchi superintendent of police (SSP) Anish Gupta and deputy commissioner Rai Mahimapat Ray were present along with the chief minister.

Deputy commissioner Rai mahimapat Ray hands over the cheque to the CM. Picture by Manob Chowdhary

In another development, state health minister Banna Gupta, while holding a high level meeting at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) on Thursday, directed health secretary Nitin Madan Kulkarni to ensure proper arrangement of resources and equipment at the state-run hospital to increase the number of Covid-19 tests.

Gupta also ordered the immediate opening of dialysis centres that were shut down after it was found that a coronavirus-positive kidney patient had visited one such centre.

“I am receiving regular information regarding the suffering of kidney patients following the closure of the dialysis centres,” the minister said.

He requested people to donate blood to address the crisis in blood banks.

Gupta also lauded the medical and paramedical staff for their contribution in the fight against the killer virus.

RIMS director Dr D.K. Singh and medical superintendent Dr Vivek Kashyap were also present in the meeting.

Later in the day, a meeting of sub-committees constituted under the chairmanship of the health minister Gupta to fight Covid-19 took place at Nepal House.

At the meeting, transport and scheduled tribe minister Champai Soren raised the issue of food, job and testing of 8 lakh migrant labourers of the state who were expected to return after the lockdown.

Labour minister Satyanand Bhokta suggested increasing the number of dal-bhaat centres and distributing sattu along with the relief material.

Agriculture and animal husbandry minister Badal Patralekh recommended the opening of sweet shops to ensure proper consumption of milk and relief to milk producers.

Finance and planning minister Rameshwar Oraon suggested taking the help of people’s representatives to help migrant labourers stranded outside the state and free train ride to help them return home after the lockdown.

Parliamentary affairs minister Alamgir Alam proposed that farmers should be permitted to work after April 20 while maintaining social-distance.

The suggestions of the sub-committee, which will meet every Friday, will be sent to the chief minister for the final decision.