With COVID-19 positive cases witnessing surge in the city, the Chandigarh Administration on Monday announced a series of preventive measures including holding a special screening of all UT police personnel working in the field as well as the vendors across the city.
Apart from this, joint teams of sub divisional magistrates (SDMs), Station House Officers (SHOs) and Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) have been constituted to monitor asymptomatic cases and report symptomatic cases, if any, in the areas concerned.
The Administration has also decided to hold a special campaign of audio announcements through PCR vans to make people aware of the precautions to be taken to avoid infection.
These decisions were taken during a meeting held by Punjab Governor and UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore on Monday to review the situation related to COVID-19 in the city.
During the meeting, the Administrator directed that all vendors and police personnel working in the field should be specially screened and checked for symptoms and accordingly tested. He also asked the doctors and health officials to enhance contact tracing and increase ongoing house-to-house screening to detect cases in the city. Badnore suggested them to also check Aadhaar addresses, so that the location of the patients could be noted. The Administrator directed the Police Department to have strict control on borders.
It was informed that the UT Police will launch a special campaign by audio announcements through PCR vans to make people aware of the precautions to be taken to avoid infection.
Mandip Singh Brar, Deputy Commissioner, Chandigarh informed that joint teams of SDMs, SHOs & RWAs have been constituted to monitor asymptomatic cases and report symptomatic cases, if any, in the areas, so that the cases could be detected early and medical treatment provided.
The Administrator also directed Secretary Labour to ensure that no person, who was treated and cured of COVID-19 is denied from returning to his job in the private or government sector. He said that such people are safe, since they are not likely to contract COVID-19 again.
The Administrator was apprised that the house-to-house special screening drive is started in Manimajra. Also, since the COVID-19 cases being detected are scattered in the city, the UT Health Department has begun mapping of the positive cases so that focused attention could be given in areas with maximum cases.
Meanwhile, with neighboring Punjab Government announcing more curbs to check the spread of COVID-19, the Administration has also decided to follow suit.
Manoj Parida, Adviser to UT Administration said that the Administrator has sought the views of doctors regarding further restrictions to be imposed in the city. A final decision regarding further restrictions, weekend curfew etc. will be taken on Wednesday, he said.
As per Government of India’s instructions, all social, religious, cultural and other functions are banned, except for marriage and cremation. Gathering of people for any other event is not allowed. Plantation drive will continue under “Van Mahotsav” without any formal official function, he said.
The Deputy Commissioner has been authorized to give specific permission in emergency cases of any gathering. If any such event takes place without the permission of Deputy Commissioner, the police will take penal action against the defaulters, Parida added.
During the weekend, 31 FIRs were registered for violation of night curfew, 39 people were arrested, 24 cars were seized and 2,500 persons were challaned by the Police for not wearing masks. Also, 500 challans were issued by officials appointed by DC against the persons not wearing masks.
It was informed that 180 COVID samples of Chandigarh and neigbouring states were tested at PGIMER a day before, out of which 36 were found positive. At GMCH-32, 178 COVID-19 samples were tested, out of which nine were found positive.
