Punjab Government has completely banned all gatherings, including religious, in the State. Taking a tough stand on the issue in the light of Nizamuddin incident, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday said that the State Government will impose a total ban on all congregations, irrespective of the religion involved.
For the same, the Chief Minister said that he would personally talk to Akal Takht’s acting Jathedar. He also directed the Chief Secretary Karan Avtra Singh to discuss the matter with the SGPC, in view of the upcoming Baisakhi festival.
At the same time, the Chief Minister ordered 21 days of quarantine for all those who had returned to the state from Nizamuddin (Delhi) since January this year, while asked the police and administrative officials to move aggressively to track, trace and isolate all such people.
Capt Amarinder, discussing and reviewing the current situation through a video conference with the Deputy Commissioners and other senior officials of the civil administration and police department, directed the police and health department to constitute special teams to track and follow up on those who had returned to Punjab from Nizamuddin.
DGP Dinkar Gupta said that some 200 persons from Punjab had visited Nizamuddin and returned here, at different times, with 12 districts believed to be affected. “They are being tracked, along with some from others states, who have arrived in Punjab for Tabligh Jamaat work. The Health Department is debriefing and contact tracing them, though, so far, no Corona confirmed cases has come to light,” he added.
Principal Secretary (Health and Family Welfare) Anurag Aggarwal informed the Chief Minister that the department had, so far, received a list of 125 of these persons, of whom 73 had been tracked and samples collected in 25 cases some of whom had come to Mansa as late as March 19. As a precautionary measure, all of them had been placed in quarantine, he added.
Kapurthala Deputy Commissioner told the Chief Minister that 31 people, who had returned from Nizamuddin, had been quarantined though they had been found to be asymptomatic so far.
In Patiala too, 29 of them had been quarantined but there were no symptoms shown by them. Sangrur SSP said that they had tracked and collected samples of all the attendees whose names they had received, and the incubation period had ended in most cases already.
On DGP Dinkar Gupta’s suggestion, the Chief Minister also ordered quarantining of the Pakistani nationals who were in Amritsar, saying that the State could not afford to take any chances at this critical juncture.
Amritsar Deputy Commissioner said that Pakistan had given permission to allow entry of four of its citizens who had come from Delhi, of whom three had tested positive. The BSF and immigration staff, who handled them, had been quarantined, he said, adding that there were a few more Pakistanis still stuck in Amritsar.
“Some medical students from Jammu and Kashmir are also stranded due to the lockdown even though they have completed their quarantine period,” said Amritsar DC.
The meeting was further informed that the families of Hazuri Ragi Padma Shri Bhai Nirmal Singh, who passed away on Thursday morning, had been quarantined. Those who had come in contact with him at a wedding he attended in Moga have also quarantined though they were found to be asymptomatic.
The Chief Minister, who is personally monitoring the “fast-moving situation” closely, stressed the need to minimize the impact of the unprecedented crisis and asked the top officials to intensify their efforts and hard work even more.
He asked the officials to identify lodgings and suitable places for treating patients, adding that he did not want to be pessimist but it was important to be realistic in the given circumstances.
Capt Amarinder also warned the officials against any complacency in terms of curfew enforcement and law and order, as well as relief measures and management of essential supplies.
The DGP informed the Chief Minister that the law and order situation was in control across the state but suggested continuation of curfew restrictions for some more time.
He disclosed that thikri pheras (volunteers in villagers) were contributing significantly to the enforcement and relief operations. At present, around 2000 such volunteers had been appointed to assist the police and civil administration.
To prevent rush at the banks, they were being asked to give appointments on phone, and to ensure that ATMs have distance markers for queue, said the Chief Secretary. He suggested quarantine for those found travelling between districts too, as a precautionary measure, but made it clear that movement of harvest combines and trucks carrying essentials was allowed.
The Chief Minister inquired about the steps being taken to protect and provide for the migrants who are stranded in Punjab due to the sealing of the borders and other restrictions.
Amritsar Deputy Commissioner informed the meeting that the migrant labourer issue in the district was not significant as most of them had been engaged to work in transport, railways and other departments. Those, who had no jobs, were being fed, he said.
Pathankot Deputy Commissioner said that some 111 migrant labourers from J&K were stuck and had been accommodated in marriage palaces and other places, with strict social distancing norms being maintained. Three had been quarantined as they had fever and cough.
Ludhiana, with 5.25 lakh migrant labourers, had built 60 camps though only two were occupied, said the Deputy Commissioner, adding that food was being supplied there regularly.
Gurdaspur Deputy Commissioner said that while Radha Saomi bhawans were available, the migrant labourers were currently being housed by the owners of the brick kilns where they were working. In Tarn Taran, four centres had been opened to house the migrants.
In the worst affected Mohali (SAS Nagar) district, the Jagatpura area had been totally sealed off after confirmation of COVID outbreak, with mass sampling being done in this and Nayagaon area, said the Civil Surgeon.
Mohali district administration was in the process of securing exclusive rights for use of some beds and about 140 ventilators available in private hospitals, the Chief Minister was informed.
In Kapurthala, two quarantine centres had been set up with a total of 150 beds, and the district administration had taken university hostels to set up isolation ward, informed the Deputy Commissioner.
The Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner said that the administration was in the process of acquiring the wings of some private hospitals for COVID patients. Sampling had been increased in Ludhiana after three positive cases came up in the urban areas.
In response to a concern expressed by the Pathankot Civil Surgeon regarding availability of PPE kits, Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu assured of a stock of 100 kits to be supplied by Friday.
DCS DIRECTED TO TAKE ALL STEPS FOR HASSLE-FREE HARVESTING AND MARKETING OF WHEAT
Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday directed the Deputy Commissioners to take all necessary steps to ensure hassle-free harvesting and marketing of wheat, amid the continuing COVID-19 and curfew restrictions in place in the State.
The Chief Minister asked the Deputy Commissioners to ensure micro level planning to ensure seamless farm operations and maintenance of the supply chain of food at the field level. The Chief Minister said that a detailed advisory had already been issued by the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department in this regard.
Elaborate arrangements were being made to harvest and procure every single grain of wheat, Capt Amarinder assured the farmers, while directing the Additional Chief Secretary (Development) to further ramp up the machinery for the ensuing harvest and marketing of wheat, and other summer field crops apart from the horticulture produce.
During the meeting, DC Ferozepur requested that BSF personnel be provided the 400 PPE kits they had asked for to undertake physical checks of farmers who had land across the fence and were not currently being allowed to go there.
The DCs have also been instructed to ensure free movement of farm operation machinery including tractors, trolleys, combined harvesters, other harvesting machinery and transport vehicles for carrying the farm produce, tilling and sowing implements etc.
