Coronavirus: Assam Rifles distributes free umbrellas in Mizoram to ensure social distancing
Assam Rifles has been distributing umbrellas to economically weaker sections of society in Mizoram, to ensure social distancing, and as an essential in the current monsoon season.
In Unlock 1.0, the Indian government has relaxed many earlier restrictions, allowing people to walk around freely, albeit with the WHO guidelines in place. As the COVID-19 cases surge across the nation, in the ‘new normal,’ maintaining social distance has become imperative.
In order to help people keep a safe distance among themselves, India’s oldest paramilitary unit Assam Rifles is distributing umbrellas to economically weaker sections of society and senior citizens in Mizoram.
Image: IANS
While shops and public places have demarcated spots to ensure social distancing, however, the efficiency is incomparable to the innovation behind the said paramilitary unit’s idea.
On Saturday, the unit distributed umbrellas in the Ngopa, Mimbung, Kawlbem, New Vaikhawtlang, and Hnahlan villages in Aizawl district, to ensure social distancing, and as an essential in the current monsoon season.
“In continuation with the recently launched ‘Umbrella Campaign,’ Troops of #AssamRifles at Ghaspani(Nagaland) distributed umbrellas to farmers and daily wage highway workers to cope up with extreme weather conditions and also to promote social distancing. @PIBHomeAffairs @ANI,” Assam Rifles had tweeted through its official Twitter account.
The initiative, which was well appreciated by the residents, aims to break the chain of COVID-19 infection to fight the ongoing pandemic.
“The residents have been urged to use umbrellas voluntarily at public places which would automatically ensure social distancing without any conscious effort," an official release said, according to News18.
"Assam Rifles proves to be a driving force, working at the grass-roots level, and lives up to the adage of 'Friends of the Hill People'," the release further read.
Earlier in May, a village in Alappuzha, Kerala, had also implemented a similar initiative of distributing umbrellas to maintain social distancing among people. The village’s civic body ensured that ASHA and Anganwadi workers received umbrellas for free, while everybody else received them at a subsidised rate.
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Edited by Suman Singh
