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Covid-19: Punjab to have mobile testing vans
Additional chief secretary Vini Mahajan on Monday said mobile testing vans are being made operational to increase testing in Punjab.
Additional chief secretary Vini Mahajan on Monday said mobile testing vans are being made operational to increase testing in Punjab.
During a video-conference to discuss and review the current situation in the light of the Covid-19 crisis, Mahajan said 65 more ventilators, more than 1.5 lakh personal protective equipment (PPE) kits and over 47,000 N-95 masks, as well as 13 lakh more triple layer masks had been ordered.
Protective equipment was being procured from all possible sources, Mahajan said during a meeting, adding that the PPE samples of Evershine company of Ludhiana had received approval from the Central Testing Lab in Coimbatore, paving the way for orders for the kits to be placed on priority basis. The firm had the capacity to produce 1,000 such masks a day, with a lead time of five days.
She apprised the CM that manpower for 20,000 beds had been identified through expression of interest on the health department portal from among the public. Training of manpower will start from April 1.
RELEASE GST ARREARS: FM TO CENTRE
Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal stressed the need to press the Centre for immediate release of the GST arrears of the state, and also suggested that every minister and MLA should donate a month’s salary and all government employees should give one week’s salary to the COVID Relief Fund.
NO RELAXATION TO BRICK KILNS
Chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh made it clear that while no general relaxation had been provided to industry and brick kilns to resume operations, they had been told they could utilise the services of the migrant labourers if they could provide food and shelter to them, while ensuring strict adherence to all COVID-19 related safety protocols.
