Biometric attendance and breath tests stopped in Chandigarh

Administrator VP Singh Badnore also appealed to the residents to avoid public gatherings in view of Holi

UT administrator VP Singh Badnore on Friday suspended biometric attendance system in all government and private institutions and passed directions to stop the use of breath analysers for checking alcohol level, as a containment measure in controlling the spread of coronavirus.

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The administrator also appealed to the residents to avoid public gatherings in view of Holi.

The directions were passed during a meeting held to review preparedness for tackling Covid-19, which has infected more than one lakh people and claimed close to 3,500 lives worldwide. No case has been reported in Chandigarh and its surrounding areas yet.

An order passed by UT Adviser Manoj Parida reads that keeping in view the coronavirus threat , the competent authority has decided to suspend/exempt all employees working in the Chandigarh administration from marking their attendance on biometric attendance system till further orders.

“It has been further decided that all officers and officials shall continue to mark manual attendance in the respective attendance register,” the order reads.

“The administrator appeals to the residents to avoid public gatherings or postpone (them), more so in view of Holi. He further directed that the biometric attendance system in all government/private institutions be suspended and to adopt the manual marking of attendance till further orders. Police department was also directed to stop the usage of breath analyser being used for checking alcohol level as a containment measure in controlling the spread of disease till further orders,” reads the official statement.

Meanwhile, the State Bank of India in view of the administrator’s appeal has decided to postpone SBI Green Marathon, which was scheduled to be held in Chandigarh on March 8.

The helpline established by the UT health authorities has received 21 calls in the last 24 hours. Majority of these calls pertain to complaints of overpricing of masks and hand sanitisers, officials said.

FAKE NEWS

Reacting to a fake news being circulated online, Satnam Singh Sandhu, chancellor of Chandigarh University, Gharuan, said that the students and staff members of the varsity are “safe and healthy” and no one on the campus has tested positive for coronavirus.

The fake report shared on social media had claimed that a student of the institute has contracted the novel coronavirus.

Meanwhile, Aashika Jain, officiating deputy commissioner, Mohali, said strict action will be taken against those spreading rumours.

BOX

NRI quarantined in Mohali tests negative

A 38-year-old NRI who was admitted to the isolation ward of the Mohali civil hospital after showing early symptoms of coronavirus infection on Wednesday has tested negative.

“The patient complained of fever and cough. He was quarantined and his samples were sent to the AIIMS,” said Manjit Singh, civil surgeon, Mohali, on Friday. “The test report has confirmed that he is asymptomatic (showing no symptoms).” The man is working with a multinational firm in the US and arrived in Mohali to meet his family on February 29. He had come in contact with a person who later tested positive for coronavirus.

Meanwhile, no new suspected case was reported in hospitals across tricity. The report of a suspected patient who was admitted to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research on Thursday is awaited.

HELPLINE NUMBERS

Chandigarh: 9779558282, 0172-2722338, 2740408

Mohali: 9876733423

Panchkula: 9779494643, 8054007104, 0172-2573907