IRB Commandant, DSP test positive

Tribune News Service

Solan, August 10

The Commandant of 4th IRB Battalion, Jungleberi, Paonta Sahib DSP, a patwari and a naib tehsildar of Kamrau were among nine persons who tested Covid-positive at Paonta Sahib in Sirmaur district today.

Sirmaur DC RK Pruthi said that they were the contacts of the Power Minister and had been shifted to Covid care centres.

The Commandant of 4th IRB Battalion was at Paonta Sahib as part of an anti-drug campaign initiated by the Narcotics Control Bureau. The Paonta Sahib DSP was already in quarantine since Saturday and his family too was likely to be tested for Covid.

Besides, a 28-year-old patwari and a 57-year-old naib tehsildar from Kamrau, both of whom had met the Power Minister when he was inspecting the Paonta Sahib-Shillai road, near Kacchi Dhank, also tested positive.

A 43-year-old contractor, who hails from Girinagar village, had attended the minister’s welcome ceremony at Dhaulan Kaun. The driver of Baldev Tomar, Vice-Chairman of Food and Civil Supplies Corporation, who was staying at a PWD guesthouse at Paonta Sahib, also tested positive.

63 from Jammu to visit Manimahesh

• The DC of Doda has allowed only 63 devotees to visit Manimahesh on the fortnight-long pilgrimage, which starts on Janmashtami every year
• Chamba DC Vivek Bhatia said today that on the basis of permission given by the Doda Deputy Commissioner, the district administration had allowed the devotees to undertake the traditional religious pilgrimage of Manimahesh, as per the Covid-19 norms
• The DC said that complying with Covid-19 directions, these devotees have been kept in isolated facilities and being sent directly to Bharmour batch-wise instead of staying at Chamba