Govt flip-flop over Covid norms, industrial workers confused

Solan, April 14

Confusion prevailed among industrial workers in the state’s industrial hub of Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh with the state government doing a flip-flop over directions on Covid test report.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur had announced that a negative RT PCR test report would be mandatory for visitors from seven high-risk states of Punjab, Delhi, Karnataka, Rajasthan Gujarat, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh three days ago. But since the decision was widely resented, including by hoteliers, it was rolled back yesterday. As per the new standard operating protocol, the condition of a negative RT PCR test report for visitors, except for tourists staying in hotels, has been done away with.

As a large number of industrial workers commute to the BBN from Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh, the industry executives were worried whether they would have to produce negative RT PCR test reports to enter the area.

“In the absence of any clarity on the test reports, I have instructed my staff to carry passes issued some months ago to enter the BBN”, said the production manager of a pharmaceutical company.

“Institutional vaccination has begun and eligible industries having a workforce of more than 100 were coming forward to get the staff vaccinated,” said Sanjay Khurana, president, BBN Industries Association. — TNS