Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik to lead silent prayer to pay tribute to Covid warriors

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik appealed to people to join him for a one-minute silent prayer at 6 pm on Wednesday to honour and commemorate the supreme sacrifice made by the frontline Covid warriors in the fight against the virus. Naveen said he will lead the initiative.
While appealing the people on Tuesday, Naveen said Odisha will cross 25,000 recoveries on Wednesday, which will be a momentous occasion in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Together we have been able to save more lives than in other parts of the country. Our fatality rate at 0.57 per cent is one of the lowest in the country. For us every life is precious and saving each person is our mission,” said Naveen.
The chief minister said the high recovery and low fatality rate would not have been possible without the commitment and dedication of thousands of Covid warriors, who are working round the clock.
“They have sacrificed hugely to keep the rest of us safe. Some have also sacrificed their lives in this deadly fight. I appeal to my 4.5 crore sisters and brothers of Odisha to join the silent prayer at 6 pm tomorrow,” he said.
A number of Covid warriors including government officers, police and healthcare workers have succumbed to the virus while in the line of duty in the hotspot districts like Ganjam and Gajapati.
The silence prayer will be followed by an oath taking to remind people to act responsibly and to strictly follow the Covid-19 guidelines for safety of all. The chief minister will read out a message through television and social media.
“The best way to honour the sacrifice of all our Covid warriors is to support and cooperate with them and do our bit in the war against Covid,” said Naveen.
While Odisha’s first Covid-19 case was detected on March 15, Naveen said the people of Odisha are fighting this pandemic in the best possible manner since last five months.
Earlier in May, the chief minister had urged Odias across the globe to recite ‘Bande Utkal Janani’ on May 30 to motivate the Covid warriors.
The chief minister also chaired a high level review meeting to take stock of the state’s fight against the virus. Naveen directed health secretary PK Mohapatra and director of medical education and training CBK Mohanty to visit worst-hit Ganjam to take review the Covid situation in the most populous district.
During the review, the chief minister also emphasized to ensure that family members of deceased Covid warriors should not face any trouble to get the compensation and assistance from the government. He directed his colleagues in the cabinet to personally monitor the issue in their respective departments. “Negligence in this regard will not be tolerated,” he said.
The chief minister also directed to intensify the information, education and communication activities to clear the myth about Covid-19 among the people. He also emphasized on enhancing ambulance services in districts.
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