Despite orders, sanitisers selling at high rates

Aparna Banerji
Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, March 11

Days after the Deputy Commissioner directed the Health Department to crackdown on chemists hoarding hand sanitisers in the district, the Health Department has failed to check black marketing of hand sanitisers in city markets. On March 8, the DC had ordered an official crackdown on the perpetrators of the ‘artificial scarcity’ of the sanitisers, masks and other medicines in the district.

The city being a medical hub with thousands of chemist shops, masks and hand sanitisers are being sold at double or triple the price of the MRP in the market. The price of three-layered masks which cost Rs 150 are being sold at Rs 400-500. Sanitisers were also reportedly sold out in majority of the outlets while in some instances these were being sold at exorbitant rates. While drug inspectors had inspected some shops at the Dikhusha market on Monday, health teams did not found any overpricing or hoarding of sanitisers.

Lakhwant Singh, Zonal Licensing Authority, Jalandhar said: “Two of the drug inspectors conducted raids on March 9 but nothing untoward was found in any of these. We will again hold raids tomorrow onwards. The department is on its toes and monitoring the situation.”

Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma said: “The directions had been issued and the Civil Surgeon has told me that no unusual activity was found during initial raids. But it is an ongoing process and the inspections will be continued in days to come.”

DC’s instructions were issued on Monday. In a communiqué to the Health Department, the Deputy Commissioner had on Monday said it was unfortunate that certain opportunistic people were trying to mint money by creating an ‘artificial scarcity’ of items such as sanitisers and masks, which was unwarranted and undesirable.”

Sharma said it had also came to his notice that some people were charging the price of these commodities over its MRP, which could not be tolerated. He said it needs to be checked with a heavy hand and perpetrators must be brought to book.

The Deputy Commissioner had also asked the Health Department to constitute special teams and act sternly against the violators on Monday. He had said special checking must be done to ensure no hoarding of these items takes place in the district.

64-bed backup plan to deal with exigency

While the number of suspected coronavirus cases in the district stayed put at 13 today, the health Department continues to get lists of those who were returning from abroad. With positive cases in the country rising steadily, the district has also made arrangements to deal with any exigency in the future.

DC Varinder Sharma said: “As many as 64 beds have been kept aside to deal with the situation at the Civil Hospital. An additional backup of 30 beds is also ready at private hospitals. Some of the patients who were untraced yet are being traced by the police. The administration is prepared to deal with any kind of emergency.”

Over 600 foreign returnees had already been screened in the district for Covid-19.

Institute postpones mega Fitness Event

In view of the emerging scenario regarding Covid-19 and following guidelines of the district administration, the CT Group of Institutions postponed its mega fitness event ‘13th CT Half Marathon’, scheduled to take place on Sunday.

Being held for the past 12 years, the event which is flagged off from the Shahpur campus to

the Maqsudan campus is being dedicated to acid attack survivors this year.

CT group chairman Charanjit S Channi said: “The group has always supported the noble cause and this time, public safety comes first for us rather than playing with the lives of residents. So, we have decided to postpone the event till further notice.”

Tent pegging c’ship postponed

The Equestrian Federation of India has postponed the National Equestrian Championship (NEC) Tent Pegging that was going to be held in the city as a precautionary measure against the spread of Covid-19.

The official statement reads that on the basis of an advisory issued by the Punjab Health Mission, Department of Health and Welfare, Chandigarh, the event has been postponed. Notably, the NEC Tent Pegging and 8th Punjab Horse Show were scheduled to be held on the Punjab Armed Police campus, from March 18 to 23.

The federation on its website has mentioned that fresh dates for the event would be intimated subsequently. The championship was held for the first time in the city in 2001 and later in 2017.

Avoid large gatherings of students, schools told

In a recent issued advisory, schools are advised to avoid large gatherings of students in their institutions. It has also been advised to avoid welcome and farewell parties and other events. The schools have also been instructed that cleanliness and hygiene in crowded spots in schools should be maintained.

“Any student/staff with travel history to any Covid-19 affected country or in contact with such persons in the past 28 days should be monitored and quarantined at home for 14 days. Class teachers should be alert towards any child with signs and symptoms of fever, cough, and difficulty in breathing and should immediately inform the parents to have the child tested. Teachers, school staff and students should also be advised about simple public health measures of hand and respiratory hygiene,” the advisory reads. While coughing or sneezing, one should cover their mouth with tissue/handkerchief (or their

sleeve if there are no tissues available) and

wash their hands afterwards, it has also been advised to the students.