The Chandigarh Administration on Friday begun a special screening of prisoners for coronavirus in Model Jail, Burail here.
At present, there are a total of 1007 inmates against the sanctioned strength of 1120 in the Burail prison.
As per the data with the Administration, there are a total of 420 convicts including 420 male and 20 females. Undertrials prisoners are 583 including 547 males and 36 females. There are four children in the prison as well.
Foreign nationals include six while convicted prisoners who are presently on parole are four, stated the data.
Manoj Parida, Adviser to Administrator on Friday said that a special drive is being conducted for examining the inmates in the Burail jail, so that there is no outbreak of Covid-19 in the jail premises.
Visitors were banned in jail in March in view of Coronavirus pandemic.
Meanwhile, the UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore on Friday appealed to the citizens to strictly follow the curfew orders and follow the hygiene practices as recommended by the doctors,
so that the spread of coronavirus could be contained in the city.
He also expressed happiness that the number of active cases has been reduced to 12 in the city.
It was informed that Chandigarh ranks third amongst the highest recovery states/union territories.
According to the latest data, the doubling rate of corona cases in Chandigarh is 30.26 days; as compared to national average of 8.6 days. Earlier on Monday, the rate of doubling of Covid-19 cases in Chandigarh stood at 25.4 days.
The Administrator thanked the doctors, health workers and the entire administrative hierarchy for the success in restricting the spread of Covid-19. He emphasized that regular screening of vendors, sanitation workers, delivery boys, hawkers etc. should be carried out throughout the city.
It was informed that a new Control and Command Centre has been set up in Municipal Corporation office, which will regulate the anti-Covid operations in the city. Also, the entire workforce of Municipal Corporation has been completely screened.
The Administrator was also apprised that more than 6,000 senior citizens have been personally contacted during curfew period and their grievances have been settled. It was further informed that a mechanism has been devised for returning of impounded vehicles through online applications in the city.