State-owned schools in East Singhbhum district are scrambling to stock up on antibacterial soaps following a directive by the deputy commissioner (DC) in view of the global novel coronavirus scare.

On Thursday, DC Ravi Shankar Shukla issued a directive asking schools to keep sufficient stock of anti-bacterial soaps and hold demonstrations on handwashing.

“A directive has been issued to all the government schools to ensure awareness sessions on coronavirus and the importance of maintaining personal hygiene with demonstration of the proper way of washing hands. All the schools have to use antibacterial soaps for this purpose,” DC Shukla said.

There are nearly 1,600 state-owned primary and middle schools and around 200 high schools in the district.

“This is the first time that we are witnessing so much emphasis on handwashing and that too with medicated soaps. Earlier, handwashing was confined to the observance of Global Handwashing Day on October 15,” a senior teacher of a government school in Sakchi said.

Visitors enjoy the food at the chicken festival in Telco.

East Singhbhum district superintendent of education Binit Kumar said they were the first district to lay so much importance on handwashing at schools.

“Students have been supplied with antibacterial soaps and senior teachers have been asked to demonstrate proper handwashing technique and inform them about the preventive steps against coronavirus during assembly,” Kumar said.

Meanwhile, Jharkhand Poultry Association, Poultry and Matsya Palak Samiti (Jharkhand) and Jharkhand Women Self-Supporting Poultry Cooperative Federation Limited on Friday organised a chicken feast at Telco Recreation Club to debunk the myth of novel coronavirus spreading through non-vegetarian food.

“There was a scramble for coupons as more than 1,500 people, including 200 women, took part in the feast. The coupons were priced at Rs 50 and the menu comprised rice, chicken curry and chicken pakoda. We had organised such a feast in Ranchi last Friday. We plan to organise similar feasts in Hazaribagh and Dhanbad, too,” said the president of Poultry and Matsya Palak Samiti (Jharkhand) Praveen Srivastava.

Secretary of Jharkhand Pashupalak Sangh, Shreeniwash, said the sale of chicken had nosedived nearly 80 per cent after the outbreak of coronavirus.

“Poultry farmers are now forced to sell chicken between Rs 20 and Rs 30 per kg against Rs 70-80 per kg,” Shreeniwash added.