IN UTTRAKHAND, agriculture operation will be allowed during the lockdown

 Uttarakhand Government has said that all activities related to agriculture can take place during the lockdown following  relaxation of the provisions of the Uttarakhand Epidemic Act (COVID-19) 2020 to help the farming community. The Agriculture department has set up a control room at the state level to solve the problems of the farmers. The farmers have been asked to inform the control room about their problems like availability and transportation of seed, fertilisers and farm equipment and the officials concerned would offer solution to them. The department has also decided to make special passes for its employees so that they don’t face problems in movement of fertilisers and other things needed for farmers. Agriculture secretary, R Meenakshi Sundaram said that the relaxation is  on the lines to facilitate movement of essential services. For smooth operation and coordination, a state level control room would be set up at agriculture directorate located at Dehradun. The Joint director agriculture (quality control), Dinesh Kumar would be the in charge of the Control room while Joint director agriculture (Organic Farming) Anjani Kumar has been made the deputy in charge. The secretary has also made the agriculture department as nodal department for agriculture and other related departments like Horticulture, cooperative, IFFCO and KRIBHCO. Control rooms have also been set up in the districts. Here the chief agriculture officer has been made the nodal officer. All the district level control rooms would inform about their daily activities to the state control room at 5 pm on all working days as Chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has renewed his appeal to  the citizens to abide by the call given by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to switch off lights in their homes for nine minutes at 9 PM on April 5 and light a candle, diya or mobile phone flashlight in a show of unity in the fight against COVID-19.Rawat said that citizens should do so and display their unity and strong will to fight against novel coronavirus. He clarified that the PM had appealed that only the lights in homes be switched off for nine minutes. Other electrical appliances including televisions, refrigerators and others should remain on. Lights in essential services and street lights will also remain open during this short duration, the CM clarified. The people are also requested to remain indoors and refrain from gathering. (Picture courtesy: Indiatimes.com)