Tricity in lockdown till March 31

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 22

The tricity — Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula — will be in lockdown till March 31 in the battle against Covid-19.

The UT Administration today issued a notification for a lockdown in the city till March 31. All non-essential establishments, including offices, schools, colleges, factories and other business establishments shall remain closed. All public transport, including taxis and auto-rickshaws, shall also remain suspended. It also includes inter-state commercial transport.

While transport of all kinds to and from hospitals, airports, railway stations, bus terminals/bus stands is allowed. For this purpose, specific routes will be decided by the Director, Transport, UT.

However, essential services, including banks, ATMs, air transport, print/electronic media, petrol pumps, LPG, postal services, e-commerce, restaurants/eateries (only for take-away or home delivery), vegetable shops, ration shops and chemists shall remain open. It has also been directed that strict home quarantine shall be observed by all foreign returnees, who landed in India on or after March 9, and their contacts/other persons at risk, as decided by the Health Department.

All such persons have to mandatorily contact the district administration and register themselves for home quarantine, failing which they will be liable for legal action, added the notification.

Officials said people were required to stay at home and come out only for essential services, that too one member of a family at a time, and strictly following social distancing guidelines. Any gathering of more than five persons in public places is prohibited.

“There is no need to panic. All essential services will remain open. People are advised not to believe in rumours and take all preventive steps as being communicated from time to time. All are also advised to stay indoors and not to come out unless there is urgency,” said an official.

Welcoming the move, RK Garg, President, Second Innings Association, a senior citizens’ body, suggested, “At this point of time, people should support the Administration. I have requested the Administration to make a contributory fund for daily wagers or those who will not get salaries during these days. Also, they should deploy their pick-up vans and its golf carts for those people who have no vehicles in different parts of the city.”

Veggies, fruits to be sold at community centres

Chandigarh: Vegetables and fruits will be sold in all sectors and colonies in the nearby community centres between 10 am and 7 pm during the lockdown period. Apni mandis will not be held in view of the restrictions over Covid-19. MC Commissioner KK Yadav appealed to the residents of the city to visit the community centres for purchase of vegetables and fruits as per their requirement on individual basis. People should not crowd these places.

Covid-testing labs at Sector 11 in city, fortis

Chandigarh: In a new list of the NABL-accredited diagnostic labs, which have the capacity to conduct Covid-19 tests with reagents as per the IMCR guidelines, the city has got one more lab. Besides the PGIMER, testing of samples of Covid-19 suspects will also be done at SRL Ltd, SCO 24, Sector 11-D. According to the list, 77 new private testing labs have been opened across 19 states in the country to prevent the virus from spreading. The maximum number of these labs, 13, is in Maharashtra, while Delhi has 11 such labs. Three Covid-19 testing labs have been opened in Punjab, including one at Fortis Hospital in Mohali, and there are four such labs in Haryana.

Of taalis and thaalis

Otherwise quiet environs of the city, which were quieter because of Janata Curfew, resounded with clanging as residents clapped while standing in the balconies of their homes and banged their utensils with ladles. Thanking those who are working tirelessly to control Covid-19 from spreading and jeopardising their lives, city residents stepped out and gave them a cheer. As soon as the clock ticked 5 pm, residents, on the threshold of their houses, rooftops and other visible spots like balconies and verandahs, came forward to make the noise for the Covid-19 warriors.

Essential services will be available

Banks | ATMs

Print | Electronic Media

Petrol pumps | LPG gas

E-commerce

Restaurants | Eateries (only for take-away or home delivery)

Vegetable shops | Ration

Chemists

DC, SDM offices

Police | Fire

Health

MC | Defence Establishments