Directing district administrations and the police to remain on high alert in the wake of the lifting of lockdown curbs, Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday also directed the transport department to draft Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for resumption of local bus movement.
The CM added that dealing with and controlling the danger that covid-19 infection could spread due to mixing of people was a real test. He said police needed to be tough and must challan those without masks.
At a video conference to take stock of the covid-19 situation, the CM added inter-state movement would be allowed only on special and Shramik trains, at least till May 31 and buses, within the state, will be allowed in a phased manner.
Additional chief secretary home Satish Chandra said in line with the Centre acceding to the state’s request to do away with colour coding, the state will now have only containment and non-containment zones.
Referring to the entry of migrants, NRIs and others via flights and special trains, the CM reiterated his directions for adherence to quarantine rules. So far, 60,000 Punjabis had registered for return to the state, he said, adding that 20,000 NRIs were also expected to return.
Amarinder added that while Punjab was willingly sending back people, including migrants, from other states, spending Rs 7.5 lakh per train, other states were not responding in kind, but were asking his government to arrange for ferrying Punjabis back. He also added that while more trains were needed for Bihar; it was not willing to take in people at this stage as its quarantine facilities were full.
{{/usCountry}}Amarinder added that while Punjab was willingly sending back people, including migrants, from other states, spending Rs 7.5 lakh per train, other states were not responding in kind, but were asking his government to arrange for ferrying Punjabis back. He also added that while more trains were needed for Bihar; it was not willing to take in people at this stage as its quarantine facilities were full.
{{/usCountry}}Punjab food and civil supplies minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu said his department was collating data of migrants based on registrations made for travel, in line with the Centre’s directions on ration distribution.
On testing, the meeting was informed that the state would be able to scale up the number from 1,400 to 4,650 per day in the state’s three labs itself. In the next 25 days, four more labs would be ready, with additional 1,000 per day testing capacity, in addition to the capacities with the Centre and in private labs.