After groceries, vegetables, milk and bread, the district administration is trying to for doorstep delivery of medicines to enforce the lockdown in the steel city.

“We have divided the city into 10 zones and issued WhatsApp and mobile numbers of two-three medicine shops in those zones who have agreed to our initiative of doorstep delivery of medicine and surgical items,” said deputy commissioner (DC) Ravi Shankar Shukla. “The service will start from tomorrow (Saturday). The objective is to enforce lockdown so that people do not come out on roads even for essential needs.”

The DC also informed about starting of the Mukhya Mantri Canteen Yojana so that daily wage earners and the needy get food.

“Packed vegetarian food would be given free of cost during the period of lockdown at three points (auto-rickshaw stand at Sakchi, Mango Chowk, and Jhabri Basti in Sonari) from Friday. Usually foods should be given at Rs 5 per packet but we would not be charging any amount during lockdown period. However, our magistrates would ensure that beneficiaries maintain social distance of 1m while taking the food,” Shukla said.

The administration also plans to distribute hand sanitizers at a minimum price.

“Rakshak sanitizers made at the laboratory of the NIT in Adityapur will be available for the masses in the next three-four days. Each packet of 200ml would be priced at Rs 20 and those having ration cards will only have to pay Rs 5,” Shukla said.

The DC directed all 11 block development officers to prepare 15-bed quarantine centres at the block headquarters and at all the 231 panchayats.

The district has a 500-bed quarantine facility at the police training centre in Mosaboni, a 1,000-bed centre at RVS College in Mango, another 50-bed centre at Mango, a 36-bed centre at Jugsalai and a 400-bed centre at Awadh Dental College in Bhillaipahari.

The Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee (JNAC) on Friday conducted drives at the vegetable markets in Sidhgora and Sakchi to ensure that social distance of 1m is maintained at vegetable shops and forced shopkeepers to shift their shops to locations to ensure compliance.

State health minister and Jamshedpur West MLA Banna Gupta inspected the Sakchi market and interacted with shopkeepers.

Gupta announced plans to have community kitchens at all police stations so that the poor don’t go hungry. “I would also appeal to corporate groups and businessmen to contribute to the CM Relief Fund to help the state fight Covid-19,” Gupta said. “I’d also appeal to retired doctors to assist the government.”