Chandigarh to go with Centre’s decision on lockdown to extend Covid-19 curfew

In the wake of extension of Covid-19 lockdown in Punjab and several other states, UT administrator VP Singh Badnore on Saturday decided that the curfew in Chandigarh will continue as long as the nationwide lockdown is in place.

According to media reports, the central government is considering to extend the lockdown by two more weeks, till April 30. Although there is no official announcement yet, UT adviser Manoj Parida after the daily review meeting, chaired by Badnore, shared on Twitter that Chandigarh will follow the Union government in extending the curfew.

Badnore, who attended a video conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier in the day, said Chandigarh so far has fared well in the first phase of curfew. For the second phase, he has already directed Parida to formulate a scheme for utilising the services of idle workers.

According to the latest health bulletin, the city so far has recorded 19 positive cases, out of which seven patients have been discharged after recovery. The UT has also started door-to-door screening of its entire population to further curb the outbreak.

Need stricter implementation: DC

During the meeting, deputy commissioner Mandip Brar told Badnore that curfew implementation needs to be strengthened in the city and violators punished strictly. Brar raised concern over people walking in parks during morning and evening hours, even as curfew relaxation is between 11am and 3pm, and that too limited to buying of essentials from neighbourhood markets.

The administrator directed the director general of police, Sanjay Baniwal, to work on it. Baniwal informed Badnore that a mechanism is being developed to streamline impounding and releasing of vehicles.

Municipal commissioner KK Yadav said a new pass system has been introduced in the wholesale market of Sector 26 to reduce the entry of unauthorised people.

Contingency plan in place

The UT has also prepared a contingency plan to deal with any surge in cases.

Several government and private institutions, such as Sood Dharamshala in Sector 22, Panchayat Bhawan in Sector 18, Panjab University hostels, and Hotel Parkview, Sector 24, have been turned into Covid care centres with provision of 2,700 beds for people with mild symptoms. Severe positive cases will be admitted to the PGIMER’s Nehru Hospital Extension Block and the civil hospital in Sector 48.

Meanwhile, Badnore directed the adviser to ensure that all students from the Northeast, Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir in the city are taken care of. A designated officer should look into their needs, he said.

He also directed Parida that farmers going for harvesting and marketing of their produce should be facilitated during the curfew. He also directed the education department to devise a mechanism, through which 40 book stores of Chandigarh could arrange home delivery of books to students so that their studies are not affected.