Buoyed by the response to the “Mission Warrior” Covid mass awareness drive, Punjab Chief Minster Capt Amarinder Singh on Saturday extended the campaign for another two months, while also announcing introduction of next level of the Diamond Certificate.
During his weekly #AskCaptain Facebook live session, the Chief Minister congratulated the seven winners of the month-long competition held under “Mission Fateh” from June 15 to July 15. The winners are Neha from Bathinda, Meena Devi from Amritsar, Maninder Singh from Sri Muktsar Sahib, Jasbir Singh from Gurdaspur, Gursewak Singh from Kapurthala, Manbir Singh from Fazilka and Balwinder Kaur from Ludhiana.
Exhorting the winners to take their grassroot Covid awareness creation efforts forward, the Chief Minister also appealed to others to participate in the extended Mission Warrior competition zealously in order to sensitise the people about the coronavirus and the various protective measures.
Notably, 100 Mission Warriors were awarded Gold Certificates on July 16 for winning the contest, which saw nearly 3.2 lakh persons participate actively.
In the extended drive, the gold certificate winners will not be eligible for another gold, silver certificate or bronze certificate but they can continue to participate and attempt to win the Diamond Certificate. Those who won the Silver certificate can continue to try and win the Gold or Diamond Certificate.
The State Government had launched a series of activities as part of the campaign, which would be driven collaboratively by the Department of Information and Public Relations, as well as various NGOs, charitable institutions and social organisations. The campaign is aimed at spreading awareness on wearing masks, washing hands, maintaining social distance, taking care of the elderly, remaining vigilant about the entry of outsiders in the locality, use of COVA App to track patients of the virus, and maintenance of safe distance from them.
WE’RE NOT TAKING AN INCH OF FOREST LAND FOR MATTEWARA INDUSTRIAL PARK
Capt Amarinder declared that not a single tree would be uprooted, nor would an inch of the forest land be taken by the government for the development of the industrial park at Mattewara, Ludhiana.
There was no question of destroying the Mattewara forest, said the Chief Minister during his #AskCaptain Facebook Live session. Statements made by certain people suggesting that the forest would be destroyed “are simply not true,” said Capt Amarinder, adding that the Government has taken 955 acres of land of Animal Husbandry, Horticulture Department and Gram Panchayat. The acquired land does not include an inch of the 2,300 acres of the Mattewara Forest, he declared.
Recalling that with public support, his government had last year planted 75 lakh saplings to commemorate the 550th Prakash Purab of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji, the Chief Minister said he himself was very keen to make Punjab more green and clean.
He also allayed apprehensions that the waste from the industrial park would be discharged into Satluj river and said a modern Common Effluent Treatment Plant would be set up as per the latest Government of India norms. The objective behind the planned industrial park is to create a vibrant industrial estate where people of Ludhiana and nearby areas can get good jobs, he added.
TAKE PRECAUTIONS TO CHECK COVID, WEAR MASKS
On the issue of Covid, the Chief Minister reiterated his appeal for all to take due precautions and strictly adhere to wearing of mask and other safety norms to check its further spread in the state. Mask can reduce the chance of infection by 75%, he pointed out, citing experts, adding that 10 lakh reusable masks had already been sent to the DCs for distribution among the poor for daily wash and use. Responding to the concern of Amit Kumar of Rajpura, who said people in his city were not wearing masks in crowded markets etc and police were only checking at a particular spot, Capt Amarinder said strict action would be taken against violators.
The Chief Minister further urged the people to contact hospitals on the first sign of any symptom or suspicion of Covid infection since delay reduces the chances of survival. He pointed out that Punjab had lost 239 lives to Covid from among the 9442 cases reported so far. The cases were continuing to rise, he said, expressing concern over the fact that around 300 cases had been added every day over the past one week.
In response to a question, the Chief Minister said anyone coming into the state through any border would be checked strictly. Ravinder Bagga from Ludhiana had expressed concern over the labourers being brought and dropped by trucks at the Shambhu border, from where they were entering the state on foot. To a question from Amarjeet Singh from Anandpur Sahib, Captain Amarinder said Sunday curfew was not being enforced now due to many people needing to leave home for work.
Terming the rates for Covid treatment fixed for private hospitals as too high, Sewak Singh, Ludhiana, said it was beyond the common man’s reach. The Chief Minister pointed out that the rates being charged by the private hospitals so far were exorbitant and that Rs 18000 per day was for critical patients only. The government hospitals had all the facilities, which they were providing at affordable costs, he added.
Responding to a question by Sachin Dhand from Patiala on the possibility of strict lockdown in view of the increasing cases, the Chief Minister said urban cases were feeling the heat worse than others amid the growing pandemic and the only way to handle it was for people to be more responsible.
Rs 50 CRORE SPENT ON FLOOD CONTROL MEASURES
Punjab Government has spent Rs 50 crore on widespread flood management measures, including cleaning of the drains, to check flooding during this monsoon season.
During his live #Ask Captain Facebook interaction, the Chief Minister said cleaning of 1,400 kms of the total 2,100 kms of drains in the state had been completed while the rest was being done expeditiously. Another 42 projects of flood protection are in full swing at critical sites, he said. As part of the measures undertaken by the State Government, EC bags have been stacked at all the vulnerable points, he added.
Observing that heavy inflows at the Bhakra dam last year due to the melting snow had caused floods in the State, the Chief Minister said several proactive measures have been taken this year. The BBMB was asked to increase the outflow to create a flood cushion and the Governments of Haryana and Rajasthan were also requested to do the same, he said, adding that as a result, outflows had increased to 30,000 cusecs two months back and the reservoir level stood at 1,335 ft,, which is more than 20 feet lower than last year.
He said the Pong dam is rainfed only and the outflows have increased to the level of 15,000 cusecs, with reservoir level being 1,335 ft. which is 8 feet higher than last year. In the case of the Ranjit Sagar Dam, the outflows have increased to 14664 cusecs and the reservoir level is 512 Mt. which is about 1 feet higher than the previous year.