Calling the extension of nationwide lockdown “need of the hour”, CM Amarinder Singh Tuesday said that he had advised the PM for the extension, adding that curfew and social distancing curbs had helped in keeping the state’s corona count low.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday said that the state has decided to extend imposition of curfew till May 3 in line with the national lockdown as announced by PM Narendra Modi.
The CM announced the decision while addressing an all-party meet on COVID crisis through video-conference as Punjab recorded five fresh coronavirus cases.
New coronavirus cases
Out of these five cases, one each is from Jalandhar, Gurdaspur and Malerkotla (Sangrur district). Two new cases were reported from hotspot Mohali, which now has a total of 56 cases.
A 25-year-old Tablighi Jamaat member tested positive in Malerkotla. In Jalandhar, sample of a 70-year-old who had come to the Civil Hospital with acute respiratory problem came back positive. This is the sixth case, out of total 25, in Jalandhar with no travel history. Jalandhar Civil Surgeon Dr Gurinder Chawla Tuesday issued a warning to five private hospitals in city for not promptly sharing details of suspected COVID patients with health authorities.
A close contact of a Jalandhar patient tested positive in Gurdaspur’s Bhaini Paswal village. This is Gurdaspur’s first COVID case. District administration has sealed 3-km area around the village and contact-tracing is underway.
Meanwhile in Phagwara, all 40 samples, which were taken from LPU university after a student in the hostel tested positive, have come out negative.
CM backs continuation of lockdown
Calling the extension of nationwide lockdown “need of the hour”, CM Amarinder Singh Tuesday said that he had advised the PM for the extension, adding that curfew and social distancing curbs had helped in keeping the state’s corona count low.
Lockdown exit plan
The CM informed political parties that Centre had allowed commencement of operations in industries that are ready to accommodate migrant labourers, and four units had already started operating in Bathinda, with Ludhiana also gearing up to begin working. Amarinder said that a taskforce has been set up by the state government to form an exit strategy from the lockdown. The state, he said, would firm up its recommendations on the way forward within the next ten days.
On scaling up testing
The Chief Minister told the meeting that all three medical colleges in the state were now equipped to conduct the tests with a capacity of 1200 tests a day. This was in addition to the tests being conducted by PGI, Chandigarh, while the Ludhiana DMC and CMC were awaiting approval to commence testing.
Amarinder assured opposition parties that rapid testing would be expanded to all districts eventually, and would also be conducted in villages. He also assured them of all measures to ensure protection of the frontline workers, saying all were being given PPE kits.
On Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Badal’s suggestion, CM Amarinder Singh directed the Health Department to consider getting approval for testing for SGPC-run hospitals. CM also said that he has sought Rs 729 crore from Centre for upgradation of state-run hospitals on priority.
There was consensus among all parties on the need for strict action, even takeover, in case of private hospitals not supporting the government in these critical times.
CM said that infrastructure of private hospitals was being used by the government in the pandemic battle. Health Minister Balbir Sidhu elaborated that equipment of such hospitals had been hired on CGHS rates.
Parties back Capt govt
Leaders of all parties extended their support to the government in its moves to tackle the unprecedented health crisis.
State Congress chief Sunil Jakhar endorsed a suggestion, backed by SAD’s Sukhbir Badal and BJP’s Ashwani Sharma, for district-level coordination among all parties and also for supply of dry rations to gurdwaras and NGOs to enable them to prepare more meals for distribution.
Jakhar also suggested use of peddle-operated hand wash station at the mandis, and called upon all to persuade the migrant labourers not to leave the state. He urged the SAD-BJP to use their influence in the Centre to allow cotton mills to be opened. He asked both opposition parties to persuade Centre to give a package to support small and medium industries.
AAP state president and MP Bhagwant Mann batted for deferment of payment/repayment of loans taken from private banks. He suggested more publicity for COVA app, which he said was extremely useful in the fight against COVID-19.
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