To combat the spread of COVID-19 in the city, the Chandigarh Administration on Thursday created ‘Chandigarh Fights Corona Fund’.
The Administration also decided to approach District Administrations of Mohali and Panchkula for better coordination to restrict unnecessary movement in the city from the two satellite townships.
At present, an indefinite curfew is imposed in Chandigarh and Mohali (Punjab) while a lockdown is in place in Panchkula (Haryana).
Punjab Governor and UT Administrator on Thursday held a review meeting with senior UT officers and announced the creation of “Chandigarh Fights Corona Fund”. He also announced to contribute a sum of Rs one lakh from his side to the fund.
“The fund will be used to fight the COVID-19 in Chandigarh and any person who intends to contribute can deposit the money either through Cheque or through Online Banking in the Indian Red Cross Society, UT, Chandigarh bank account,” said UT Adviser Manoj Parida.
Parida said that sector response teams (SRT) comprising of officials have been constituted in each sector and periphery areas in the city. These teams will address the grievances of people in their area. People will be able to consult them in verge of any issue in their area during curfew period, he said.
“These SRTs will coordinate between people (respective area) and Administration. These will also coordinate between the control rooms in Municipal Commissioner’s office and Deputy Commissioner’s office etc and ensure that the supply chain of essential items is maintained. For this, nodal officers have been appointed and their list with contact numbers has already been released,” he added.
Advisor further said that talks are on with MARKFED and HAFED to operate mobile vans in city to provide ration at reasonable rates.
He added that facility of three mobile ATMs has been arranged for the city and a schedule has been prepared for visiting various areas throughout the day.
During the meeting, UT Administrator Badnore directed the officials to ensure proper coordination with District Administrations of Mohali and Panchkula so that there is no unnecessary movement in the city from these two districts.
Governor directed the police officials for strict enforcement of the curfew and desired that the Adviser must ensure that the movement should be minimum and infection must not spread in the city.
He also reviewed medical arrangements in GMSH-16, GMCH-32 and PGIMER. It was decided that sufficient beds and isolation beds will be kept ready for keeping Coronavirus patients as and when it is necessary.
Administrator taked stock of home delivery of essential items
The UT Administrator along with Adviser Manoj Parida and senior officers undertook tour around the city on Thursday morning and checked the arrangements made on field for supply of essential items including vegetables, milk and groceries.
70 CTU buses have been deployed by Administration for door to door sale of fruits and vegetables in sectors and periphery areas. To facilitate the process of sale, in each bus two to three vendors along with policeman have been deployed area wise.
The Administrator also reviewed the distribution of milk to households and expressed satisfaction over the arrangements made by Administration for home delivery.
The Administration has released the list of retailers (ration shops), chemists for home delivery. Besides, vendors have been deployed for house to house delivery of fruits, vegetables and milk in all areas.
On reports of fruits and vegetable vendors overcharging the residents on Thursday, the Adviser said that rates will be fixed for these items from Friday onwards. The Administration is working on it to stop exploitation of consumers.
The Administration may also consider fixing quantity of ration for families as reports are received that citizens are hoarding essential items, he said.
The Adviser said that in Sector 26 mandi, sufficient police arrangements have been made to ensure that the supply chain for wholesale supplies of fruits and vegetables is proper. From there, fruits and vegetables supplies are being ensured to all sectors and periphery areas, he added.
Meanwhile, the UT Administrator VP Singh said that in the beginning there might be some teething issues but all residents of Chandigarh must not come out of their homes. He also requested residents not to hoard vegetables or milk and assured that under no circumstances, there will be shortage of essential items and sufficient supply chain will be continuously maintained.
He further appealed the residents to strictly follow the sanitation practice like washing hands and using masks and sanitizers.
Kher responds, hits back at opposition
A day after Congress lashed out at city MP Kirron Kher for her absence in the city, the MP on Thursday hit back at the opposition.
Kher said, she is shocked to see that instead of keeping a holistic approach to life, people are using this calamity to point fingers at her saying she is not visible. “Is this a time to be seen?”, she asked
The MP said that the UT Advisor, Home Secretary, DGP, Municipal Commissioner are all keeping her abreast of the minute to minute developments in this fight against Coronavirus.
Her work speaks through the headlines that no fresh case has been reported in the last 48 hours in the tricity, she added.
Kher also applauded the work carried out by senior UT officers and also, made a plea to the citizens of Chandigarh to say no to populistic politics.
On her absence from the city, the MP said, “Being Chandigarh’s representative in Parliament, she had to travel back and forth for parliamentary duties. Ever since the lockdown, she has made herself present and had constantly kept herself available to the Administration and heads of departments to brief her about the situation on the roads and in hospitals.”
Notably, Kher had left for Delhi to attend Lok Sabha which reassembly on March 2 for budget session. While the Lok Sabha session was adjourned sine die on Monday due to lockdown in the entire country in view of COVID-19 outbreak, the MP is not back to the city and stuck in Delhi.
A day before, Congress had questioned her absence in the city at the time the residents are put under curfew restrictions to combat COVID-19 spread here.’
