Indian Army distributed rice and other food items among the needy on the fourth day of the lockdown announced for the entire country, in Shopian

"We have launched a multi-pronged campaign to educate, and help people in various areas, mostly remote areas in the war against coronavirus", a senior Army official told PTI. "In various other areas, we have come out to help the administration in the war against COVID-19 and ensure several facilities and support to them," he said

JAMMU: The Army has launched a multi-pronged campaign to reach out to people in remote and rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir and educate and assist them in the fight against coronavirus.

As part of the campaign titled "Jointly we will put an end to Corona", distribution of pamphlets, masks, sanitizers and also ration is being done besides installation of hand wash facilities.

"We have launched a multi-pronged campaign to educate, and help people in various areas, mostly remote areas in the war against coronavirus", a senior Army official told PTI.

"In various other areas, we have come out to help the administration in the war against COVID-19 and ensure several facilities and support to them," he said.

The Army has distributed pamphlets in bilingual language giving out vital information to counter COVID-19 among Gujjar and Bakarwal communities residing in Rakhmuthi and Devipur villages of district Jammu.

As part of the initiative, people living in remote villages of Murrah and Kulali in district Poonch have been educated about the symptoms, causes of spread and how to overcome COVID-19 by display of flex boards at prominent places and distribution of pamphlets.

"It has also been communicated that all those who had returned after travelling in the ensuing month should self quarantine for at least 3 weeks. The gesture of Army was very well received and appreciated by the local populace," PRO Defence, Lt Col Devender Anand, said.

In Rajouri district, the Army has launched sensitization operation in remote villages to educate people on the outbreak of COVID-19 and necessary stringent measures to contain its spread amongst the local populace, the PRO said.

The Army has also assisted the civilian administration in identifying, isolating and quarantining, 24 daily wage earners moving down from Srinagar to Thanamandi via Poshana on old Mughal Road, Lt Col Anand said.

After carrying out identification of the migrants, their preliminary medical was carried out at Dogrian, he said. The civilians have been sent to a quarantine facility established by civil administration in Surankote.

The Army has distributed masks, soaps and sanitizers in various hamlets of Poonch, Rajouri, Reasi, Ramban and Doda districts, they said. Loudspeaker fitted Army vehicles have been touring remote areas of Jammu, Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Reasi, Udhampur and Kathua districts and announcements are being made asking people to restrict movement as part of the lockdown and maintain a notebook to track the people whom they have come in contact with in the last one month.