DW BUREAU / LUDHIANA To ensure the farmers, labourers, and others adhere to medical protocols mandated to contain the spread of Covid-19 pandemic including physical distancing, mask-wearing, hand hygiene, and all eligible take jab, the district administration has initiated a drive to constantly sensitize them through public address system in the grain markets. Divulging the details in this regard, Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma said that the public address system is one of effective measure to ensure the farmers, labourers, commission agents, and other staff members of procurement agencies get educated about the precautions from Covid-19 pandemic and the importance of the vaccination to arrest the spread. He said that this drive is being undertaken by the administration so that all people involved in the wheat procurement operations obey the social distancing, wear a mask, or wash hands frequently in the grain markets and the whole exercise completes safely. He said that directions have been issued to Mandi Board to ensure the system is either installed in the grain markets or fitted on moving rickshaws/three-wheelers with pre-recorded audio announcements/messages to create awareness. Further, the health department has also been asked to set up a desk to motivate the eligible to get the vaccine without any kind of hesitation or fear for protection from the virus, he added. Sharma said that to decongest the grain markets for smooth procurement of wheat amidst COVID- 19, the administration has already increased the number of purchase centres in the district by creating more than 100 additional procurement centres along with existing 108-grain markets. Deputy DMO Bir Inder Singh Sidhu said that the audio messages are being forwarded to all the markets and staff in the markets has asked to play these announcements continually in the grain markets. (editor@dailyworld.in)