Schools, cinemas shut till March 31 in Haryana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 15

In view of the Covid scare, the Haryana Government today decided to close all schools, cinema halls, gymnasiums and night clubs till March 31.

At a meeting presided over by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, it was decided to limit social, cultural, political and other gatherings to 200 persons.

Home Minister Anil Vij said over 1,300 isolation beds had been prepared across the state and hospitals in the districts attached to the nearest medical college.

An order issued by Mahavir Singh, Principal Secretary, School Education, said students would only attend board, annual and assessment examinations. According to the order, teaching and non-teaching staff would attend schools.

On March 13, the government ordered closures of all colleges and universities in five districts. The police ordered that all new prisoners would be kept in quarantine in separate barracks for a week.

In another development, the government asked district officials to strictly enforce the notification declaring face masks and hand sanitisers as essential commodities to prevent their hoarding with a view to checking spread of Covid.

An order issued by the Director, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumers Affairs to the District Food Supplies Controllers (DFSCs) asked them enforce the notification and ensure increased availability of face masks and hand sanitisers to the general public at prices below the maximum retail prices.

“The DFSCs will carry out operations against speculators and those involved in black marketing and overpricing. Offenders may be punished with imprisonment of seven years or fine or both,” the order said, adding that the situation was being monitored by the Deputy Chief Minister.

The Centre on Friday declared face masks and hand sanitisers as essential commodities till June 30 in a bid to boost their supplies and prevent hoarding.

Both masks (2 ply & 3 ply surgical masks, N95 masks) and hand sanitisers had been brought under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, empowering states to regulate production, distribution and prices of these items and also crack down on hoarding and black marketing.

The decision would empower the government and states and UTs to regulate production, quality and distribution of masks and hand sanitisers for smooth sale and availability of these items. It empowered them to carry out operations against speculators and those involved in overpricing and black marketing.

State count

2,876 Passengers from China under observation

2,844 Asymptomatic under house isolation

32 Symptomatic hospitalised till date

• Discharged till date 29
• Total samples taken 57
• Negative 49
• Awaited 8

HSSC cancels 2 exams

The Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC) has cancelled the online examinations for the post of assistant linemen (ALM) in power utilities and various posts in the Skill Development Department due to administrative reasons and the Covid scare. According to official sources, the exam for the ALM advertised through Advt No 11/2019 and the exam to be held for various posts vide Advt No 12/2019 stand cancelled.

Gurugram leads in cases under surveillance

The maximum number of persons under surveillance are in Gurugram (1,237), followed by Kurukshetra (247), Ambala (215), Karnal (185) and Kaithal (126).