Keen to kick-start economic activities in the union territory of Chandigarh post May 3, the UT Administration on Thursday deliberated upon allowing certain relaxations in the city.
After receiving recommendations from people of different walks of life regarding allowing relaxations in curfew post May 3, the senior bureaucrats discussed the issue at a meeting held under Punjab Governor and UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore on Thursday.
As the second phase of the countrywide lockdown will end on May 3, the Administration had constituted a five-member committee chaired by Finance Secretary AK Sinha to examine and recommend the steps to be taken by the Administration in the post-curfew period in the city.
While talking to The Pioneer, UT Adviser Manoj Parida on Thursday said that we have received many recommendations from the city residents related to opening of book stories, computer stores, liquor shops, salons, allowing usage of cars, allowing morning and evening walks, allowing industrial activities gradually among others.”
“All these issues have been discussed in the meeting and are under consideration. Relaxations to be given will be discussed in next two meetings as well. And, the final call regarding allowing such relaxations will be taken on May 3 by UT Administrator and after receiving guidelines from the Government of India,” he said. Meanwhile, the Union Cabinet Secretary held a review meeting with UT senior officers through video conferencing to review the situation in Chandigarh.
Chandigarh was declared as the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) hotspot by the Central Government on April 15 while the entire city was declared as “containment zone” by Administration on April 20. The doubling rate of Coronavirus cases in the city stood at 4.81 days, as against the national average of 11 days.
Till Thursday evening, the number of Coronavirus cases jumped to 74 in the city. As a precautionary measure, 3193 residents have so far been put under home quarantine, out of which 1759 have completed the quarantine period in the city, as per Chandigarh’s Health Department evening bulletin.
In the past six days, the city has witnessed a brutal rise in the number of Covid-19 patients with 46 fresh cases reported. Active cases stood at 56. 1147 samples have been tested for Coronavirus in the city till now, as per Chandigarh Health Department’s evening bulletin.
Regarding the meeting with Cabinet Secretary, Parida said, “The Government of India is reviewing the situation related to cases every week and criteria related to hotspot zones will also changed. Currently, the city falls under the category of Covid-19 hotspot (red zone).”
“We are considering removing the tag of ‘containment zone’ from the entire city and declare the affected pockets as ‘containment zones’. The decision in this regard will also be taken on May 3 and accordingly, it will be decided which relaxations will be allowed outside the affected pockets in Chandigarh,” he added.
To stem the spread of Coronavirus, the Administration has so far declared Bapu Dham colony, a part of Sector 30 B and Kacchi colony, Dhanas as affected pockets and has completely sealed these areas.
