Raw rice for preparing gruel during the fasting month of Ramzan would be given before April 19, said Collector Shilpa Prabhakar Satish.
Addressing a meeting to review measures being taken to prevent spread of COVID-19 at Cheranmahadevi near here on Friday, she appealed to the Muslims not to gather in the mosques for offering prayers so as to ensure physical distancing, the only solution for averting the novel coronavirus infection.
The State government gives 5,450 tonnes of raw rice to the mosques across the State for preparing porridge to be served to the poor during the month of Ramzan every year. However, considering the COVID-19 scare and consequent nationwide lockdown, the Muslims had been appealed to avoid gatherings in the mosques, dhargahs and other places for prayer.
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“Since Muslims have been asked to avoid gatherings for prayer in mosques and to offer prayer at home during the month of Ramzan, there is no need for preparing the porridge in mosques, usually given to mark the breaking of the fast. As usual, the raw rice will be given to the mosques before April 19 and the mosque administrators should distribute the rice through volunteers to poor Muslim families for preparing the gruel at home,” Ms. Shilpa said.
She appealed to the Muslims to cooperate with the district administration in maintaining physical distancing and follow the lockdown norms, at least for the next three weeks so that the COVID – 19 threat would vanish completely.
The Collector asked the Agriculture Department officials to ensure sufficient stock of fertilizers, seeds and farm implements for the ensuring ‘kar’ paddy season that begins in June following the advent of south-west monsoon.
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Superintendent of Police Om Prakash Meena, Sub-Collector of Cheranmahadevi Pratik Thayal and other senior police and revenue officials participated in the meeting.