COVID-19: VK Pandian’s leadership tips to Sarpanches

Bhubaneswar: With Ganjam district emerging as Odisha’s COVID-19 hotspot following the influx of Surat returnees, 5T secretary V.K. Pandian on Saturday interacted with all Sarpanches of Ganjam district.

He explained about their leadership role in managing quarantine centres.

Notably, the state government has delegated collector power to Sarpanches in its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

Pandian also emphasized the fact that as of now all the positives in Ganjam are of returnees placed in quarantine centres, so no need to feel scared.

“Strict maintenance of quarantine centres will make the difference between success and failure in our fight against coronavirus. Sarpanches have a major role in that and realizing this Government has vested powers of collector,” he said.

Sarpanchs have played multifarious roles in development, education, social security, food security etc but thier role in providing leadership in fight against coronavirus will always be remembered by people of their villages, he added. 

“They will celebrate those Sarpanches who successfully stop coronavirus from entering their villages,” he said.

Out of 294 COVID positive cases in Odisha, Ganjam has reported 89 cases.