The CRPF has opened up its camps across the country to help local administration store essential items and provide its manpower in carrying out relief work in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, a senior official said on Monday.
The country's largest paramilitary force has also asked its field units to "adopt" villages and localities in their vicinity to take care of the basic necessities of the locals like rations, medicines and masks during the ongoing lockdown period.
A directive issued by the headquarters of the force here said "keeping in view the prevailing emergent situation in the country, it has been desired by the DG (Director General) in consultation with senior commanders that the CRPF should go all out to extend a helping hand to the state agencies in combating the menace of COVID-19 as best as possible".
"With our pan-India presence, it is desirable that we offer our resources to the states in our respective areas of deployment to augment the resources of states who are the first responders wherever they feel any gaps or deficiency," the directive accessed by PTI said.
It said the Central Reserve Police Force establishments can help in ways like: Transportation and logistics support; offering space in campuses for storage of medicines and equipment; offering manpower for helping in distribution of essential commodities, food, medicines and providing accommodation in their campuses for specialised teams.
The force has also asked it commanders to consider providing water tankers, join hands with various stakeholders in creating awareness about the pandemic and preparation of cooked food and its distribution to the needy and poor, including migrant workers in the vicinity of our locations.
The directive said the force can also assist local administration in enforcing the ongoing lockdown and pitching tents for rest and food of migrant labourers who are returning home.
"It can also be considered if we could adopt some villages, mohallas in the vicinity of our locations to extend all help, including distribution of masks, sanitiser and other sanitation and hygiene equipment through our resources in aid of state authorities," it said.
The directive added that it should be ensured that the health and hygiene of the CRPF personnel deployed for these tasks is not compromised.
"This is an extraordinary situation requiring commitment of the highest level and we should not be found lacking in anyway once we take on the task," it said.
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