Assam government is committed to the state's biodiversity and it is assessing the Dehing Patkai situation, said Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

He was addressing the media in Dibrugarh on Friday.

"We are committed to protecting Assam’s environment and biodiversity," he said.

"No one should cast aspersions on state government’s sincerity to preserve the natural beauty, greenery and natural resources of the state," he added.

"I have directed forest minister Parimal Suklabaidya to visit Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary to take stock of the actual situation," Sonowal informed.

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"The state government would take further steps in this regard based on Forest Minister’s report," he added.

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Sonowal, on Friday, visited four quarantine facilities that were being readied as the second tier of quarantine centres for COVID-19 patients.

The four centres were MDK Kanoi College, the girls' hostel of DHSK College, Kasturba Gandhi Girls' Hostel at Dikom Parbati Devi ME School and Asom Bidyapith High School, Chabua in Dibrugarh.

The CM urged the people to strictly maintain COVID-19 protocols.

He appealed to those who are being quarantined not to violate any quarantine rules.

"Violation of quarantine norms does not only affect the patients but also jeopardizes the whole society," Sonowal said.

"Therefore, the government have no other option but to take action against those violators of home or institutional quarantine," he added.

Sonowal also informed that the state government was taking steps to set up quarantine centres till the panchayat level.

He urged the people of the state to extend wholehearted support to the government so that the outbreak can be contained.

"The state government is taking all necessary steps to bring back Assam’s people stranded in different parts of the country," he said.

The CM called on the people not to panic looking at the rising number of COVID-19 positive cases.

"The state government is fully capable of handling the situation," he further said.

He also requested the people not to discriminate against those who are infected by the deadly virus as nobody willingly becomes a virus carrier.

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