Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday said that samples of coronavirus tests would be increased in the State and directed that tests of all persons of Tablighi Jamat and their contacts for coronavirus should be completed at the earliest.
Reviewing the situation with senior officers of the State in the wake of coronavirus pandemic, he said rapid testing kits would be made available to the State soon which would increase the pace of testing. He said that these testing kits would also be helpful in testing the people of Himachal Pradesh entering the State in case of emergent situations.
Thakur said screening centres would be established at all the interstate barriers at entry points and all the persons entering the State with permits issued by the authorities of other States would be tested with rapid diagnostic kits. He said that temporary quarantine centres with at least 15-20 beds would be established near these centres.
The Chief Minister said that any person found positive would be shifted to these quarantine centres and would not be allowed to travel inside the State and would further be confirmed for coronavirus with RT-PCR test. He said that any movement from designated hotspots would also be monitored and persons with ILI etc. would be tested with rapid diagnostic kits for identification of any Covid-19 positive
cases.
Thakur said State Government has entrusted the responsibility to representatives of PRIs to keep strict vigil on persons who have come to their areas from outside or even within the state. He said that State Government would not even hesitate to take action against the panchayat pradhans who conceal information regarding the arrival of the outsiders.
The Chief Minister stressed the need of adequate stock of essential commodities in open markets and depots of Civil Supplies Corporation to facilitate the people.
He said social distancing must be ensured amongst the people during relaxation of curfew which will break the chain of coronavirus. He directed the officers that trucks carrying essential commodities and other materials from other states should also be sanitized at the borders of the state along-with its drivers and conductors.
Thakur said that the State Government was concerned about the people of Himachal Pradesh stranded outside the state. The Government is in constant touch with these people and the respective State Governments have been requested to ensure their proper care. He urged such people to remain wherever they are as the Government would ensure their early return as soon as the situation normalizes.
Asking the officers to explore possibilities of establishing contacts between the farmers and the buyers so that they could sell their produce at remunerative prices, he said that smooth transportation of horticulture produce and inputs must also be
ensured.
Education Minister Suresh Bhardwaj, Chief Secretary Anil Khachi, Director General of Police S.R. Mardi, Additional Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar and R.D. Dhiman, Principal Secretaries J.C. Sharma and Onkar Sharma and Sanjay Kundu also attended the meeting.