The reports of 49 officers will be out on Friday. (Representational)
A day after Punjab CM Amarinder Singh appealed to his Cabinet colleagues and officers to get tested for Covid-19 considering 16 PCS and two IAS officers had tested positive in the state, no minister except two got their test done on the second day of the testing camp organised at local Punjab Bhawan.
As many as 49 IAS and PCS officers, however, gave samples at the special camp on Thursday. Total 80 samples were collected by the Department of Health from Punjab Bhawan including that of the family members of the officers.
Health Department sources said a few ministers wanted the sample taken from their official residences in Sector 2, but the department expressed inability citing a number of people to be tested. The ministers did not come to Punjab Bhawan, which is a few metres away from their official residences.
Only two ministers Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Aruna Chaudhary had given their samples Wednesday. While Randhawa and his wife tested negative on Wednesday, Chaudhary also tested negative on Thursday. Two days ago, Rural Development Minister Tript Bajwa had tested positive. He is admitted to Fortis Hospital, Mohali, and his wife, who tested positive on Wednesday, has also been shifted to the same hospital. Bajwa’s daughter-in-law, two grandsons, his personal staff, driver and cook have all tested negative. Bajwa is recovering well and is likely to be discharged on Friday, his political secretary, Gurdarshan Singh Bahia, said.
The reports of 49 officers will be out on Friday.
The government has also traced the contacts of Bajwa and Director Rural Development Vipul Ujjwal and got tested 80 persons including 18 officers, 14 drivers and personal staff. As many as 48 of these tested are negative for Covid-19. Except Bajwa and Ujjwal’s families, no one else has come out positive as of now.
A few ministers said they have been undergoing tests off and on. So, they did not feel the need to get tested. Food Minister Baharat Bhushan Ashu said he had tested negative only three days ago. Hence he did not feel the need to get tested again as it would not mean anything.
Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu also said that he too had tested 3-4 days ago and was negative. Sidhu had come in contact with Bajwa during a function, a day prior to him testing positive.
Punjab Cong suspends public activities
The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee has decided to suspend all public activities of the party in the state for the time being in view of the increasing cases of Covid-19 in the state, PPCC president Sunil Jakhar said Thursday
He said that the Congress government in Punjab under the leadership of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh was working diligently to save the state from coronavirus pandemic and in such a situation it was imperative that all the people cooperate in the mission to prevent spread of the disease. A letter in this regard has also been received from the Chief Minister.
Jakhar said that till the situation improves, the party would reach out to the people through virtual media but for the time being no public programme or meeting would be held. He appealed to all to follow the health related guidelines issued by the state government in letter and spirit.