Assam Health Department yet to start COVID vaccination drive in many tea gardens

OUR CORRESPONDENT

TINSUKIA: In as many as 21 tea gardens in Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Sibsagar and Charaideo districts that recorded isolated to moderate COVID positive cases, the Health Department is yet to initiate vaccination programme in these gardens even as Hokonguri TE and Samdang TE under Doomdooma circle recorded 16 each, Itakhuli TE and Jutlibari TE with 31 and 15 cases while in Borborooah TE in Dibrugarh district, 24 positive cases have been detected till Tuesday.

With six deaths recorded one each in Bashmita TE, Daimukhia TE, Deomooli TE, Chabwa TE, Bazaloni TE and Borborooah TE, the later despite having shown high trend of positivity, surprisingly there were no steps to undertake vaccination programme. So also with Deomooli and Daimukhia TEs, alleged a garden official, informing further that so far, 84 gardens under these four districts have been affected though there may be much more when all ABITA and non-ABITA gardens are taken together apart from 100 small tea gardens.

The Health Department allegedly played a partisan role in administering vaccine in tea gardens during initial months. It prioritized PPP (Public-Private Partnership with NHM) gardens, many of which are yet to show positivity while COVID infection began to proliferate in many non-PPP gardens. The gardens that need immediate intervention are-Muttack, Betjan, Panitola, Achabam, Madhuting, Budlabeta, Talup, Hapjan, Keyhung, Teen Ali and Dhelakhat.

It has also become a matter of apprehension for urbanites that a large number tea workers from various gardens are visiting banks in Doomdooma and Tinsukia to withdraw their incentives which the government releases periodically. It is observed that many these people do not wear masks properly, let alone maintain social distancing.

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