April 20, 2021: Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday ordered the Director-General of Police to prevent any form of mass gatherings in the wake of the rising COVID-19 cases in the state.

Reviewing the situation, Sonowal asked the departments concerned to prepare an action plan for tackling the pandemic.

"Sonowal directed the Chief Secretary to prepare each district to fight the pandemic, while instructing the DGP to strictly maintain COVID-19 protocols and prevent mass gatherings," an official statement said.

He also laid stress on making the people aware about wearing masks, maintaining cleanliness and asked officials to ramp up COVID-19 tests at the bus and truck terminuses.

The chief minister ordered to make the tests compulsory for the truck drivers coming from outside the state at the Srirampur and Chagolia gates.

In the meeting with the health department, disaster management and police, he was apprised that the number of hospital beds in every district has been increased and Remdesivir medicine and oxygen cylinders have been stocked adequately.

Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was also present in the meeting and he instructed the health department officials to start a helpline for various coronavirus consultations and problems.

The Assam State Disaster Management Authority CEO GD Tripathi highlighted the need to impose restrictions in the districts where the number of cases has risen to more than a hundred.

The key decisions taken in the meeting will be made public in a press meet, to be addressed by the Chief Secretary and the DGP on Tuesday, the official statement said.

Meanwhile, two leading schools in Guwahati -- Asom Jatiya Vidyalaya and NPS International School -- have been sealed for seven days till April 25 after teachers and students were found to be COVID-positive, an order said.

The Cachar district administration has ordered the closure of all lower primary schools, including the private ones, till May 8, another statement said.