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Challan those moving around without masks: Capt to police
He also issued strict directives for protection of all employees on the frontline of Covid-19 duty, including health, agriculture, police and revenue department staff, in the light of the death of a kanungo
CHANDIGARH Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday ordered strict enforcement of the government regulation on compulsory wearing of masks at public places and asked the police to challan all those found moving around without masks.
Chairing a video conference to review the Covid-19 situation in the state, the CM made it clear that every citizen would have to mandatorily wear a mask when stepping out of home in order the check the spread of the deadly pandemic.
He also issued strict directives for protection of all employees on the frontline of Covid-19 duty, including health, agriculture, police and revenue department staff, in the light of the death of a kanungo.
Additional chief secretary (ACS) Vini Mahajan, who heads the procurement committee for Covid-19 related purchases, said that out of the 4.5 lakh personal protective equipment (PPE) kits ordered by the state, 26,500 have been received and 3,0000 more are expected to come by next week. There is sufficient stock of masks, gloves etc, she added.
The CM said there could be no compromise on the lives of the people and the government’s priority continues to be on saving and protecting the citizens of Punjab. “I can get a factory started again but cannot bring a Punjabi back to life,” he said.
Amarinder directed the health department to launch rapid testing in all the 24 containment zones of the state. Four Punjab districts (Jalandhar, Pathankot, SBS Nagar and Mohali) have been declared hotspot districts by the Union health ministry.
10,000 RAPID TESTING KITS RECEIVED FROM ICMR
Vini Mahajan said the state on Friday received 10,000 rapid diagnostic kits (RDKs) from Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The 10,000 kits ordered from private vendors are expected to start arriving from Saturday.
Of the 527 rapid tests conducted with the 1,000 kits received earlier from ICMR, 7 were found negative, she said, adding that all these tests were conducted in Jalandhar and Mohali.
Regarding the high mortality rate in the state, former PGIMER director KK Talwar said it was on account of higher prevalence of comorbidities/high risk factors in the state, as well as the higher footfall of international tourists/NRIs, among other factors.
Principal secretary (health) Anurag Aggarwal said the department was putting all 24 containment zones in the state on the COVA app. The number of ventilators in government medical colleges is being ramped from 102 to 220, he added.
