UCM activates COVID-19 STF to mitigate impacts of lockdown
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 16 2020: The United Committee Manipur (UCM) has activated its special task force which was set up on April 1 to help mitigate the impacts of the protracted COVID-19 lockdown.

The UCM is of the firm belief that the war against COVID-19 pandemic must be fought collectively and every citizen must support and cooperate with the different measures taken up by the Government to control and contain the highly contagious virus, said a statement issued by the committee.

Despite all the efforts of the Government and respective District Administrations, many people have not been getting any relief material.

Reports are also coming from different areas of the valley as well as the hill districts about people not getting their share of essential commodities to the full entitled quantities.

The UCM set up the special task force to make up the shortfalls and loopholes in the Government's COVID-19 relief measures, it said.

People's inability to adhere fully to the different measures announced by the Government such as public curfew, social distancing, home quarantine, wearing of face mask mandatorily is a major factor for possible spread of COVID-19 in the State.

As such, the STF would coordinate with the Government in spreading awareness among the masses on the importance of adhering to the advisories issued by the Government from time to time, it conveyed.

The STF would also coordinate with local clubs and NGOs in ensuring that people adhere to Government advisories and relief materials are distributed to the masses in a very transparent manner.

Saying that it's not the time to work in personal or political interest, the UCM appealed to all MLAs, social workers and ration agents not to indulge in any kind of petty politics at this hour of extreme misery caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The STF would also pay extra attention to traders and shopkeepers who have been taking undue advantage of the prevailing situation to earn extra profits.

Saying that wholesalers and distributors should not sell goods at prices higher than the market prices fixed by the Government, the UCM also warned against any attempt to monopolise markets by way of hoarding goods.

It also appealed to all retailers to inform UCM if any wholesaler is selling goods at prices higher than the market prices fixed by the Government.

A team of the STF went to Mantripukhri yesterday afternoon and inspected the godowns located there.

As large stocks of edible items were found piled inside the godowns, all concerns were asked to distribute the items to the public at normal prices, it conveyed.

Another UCM team led by its president and secretary went to RIMS yesterday afternoon and appealed to the RIMS authority to arrange rations for all in-patients as well as their attendants.

In response, the RIMS authority assured that they would make necessary arrangements, it said.

The UCM further informed that it would supply essential commodities to its best level to PG doctors and hostellers staying inside RIMS and JNIMS campuses.

Nonetheless, it appealed to both JNIMS and RIMS authorities to look after the basic requirements of PG doctors as well as hostellers.

The UCM would also start distributing essential commodities to all indigenous people and underprivileged sections who have been stuck in different parts of Manipur valley on account of the lockdown.

It then appealed to all community leaders to inform and help UCM locate all the people stuck at different places.

The UCM then appealed to all sections of the society to contribute to its initiative either in cash, kind or idea.

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