11 more Nawanshahr villages sealed

Nawanshahr: After one death and 17 more persons testing positive for Covid in Banga, the health authorities on Wednesday took 114 samples of suspected patients from Pathlawa, Sujon and surrounding villages. As there were reports of symptoms spreading in surrounding villages, the administration sealed 11 more villages and sent health teams to Paddi Matwali, Govindpur, Heon, Pali Chikki, Palli Uchi, Kajla, Gujjarpur, Bahla, Surapur, Naurabhaura and Mahal Gehlan villages. TNS

168 FIRs filed, 184 held for violations

Chandigarh: About 38,000 policemen have been deployed in districts and police commissionerates for enforcing curfew, including sealing of affected clusters (Nawanshahr district), maintenance of essential supplies and law and order. In all, 168 FIRs have been registered and 184 persons arrested in last 24 hours, who violated the quarantine and curfew guidelines, according to a release by the police. TNS

Provide free ration to poor: MLAs to CM

Chandigarh: Amid the 21-day curfew ordered by the Centre to check the spread of Covid, Congress MLAs have expressed concern over the effect of the lockdown on the livelihood of people in the unorganised sector. They have urged the state to provide free ration by utilising MNREGA funds, on the pattern of Telangana and Tamil Nadu. Former minister Jagmohan Kang has urged Capt Amarinder Singh to adopt the Himachal Government model to distribute flour and rice to the National Food Security Act (NFSA) families for April and May. TNS

Cops launch app for delivery of goods

Sangrur: To provide food and essential services to locals at their doorstep, the Sangrur police have launched an app. The app “Police Emergency Services App (PESA)” has been uploaded on the PlayStore and will provide all required services. It has been launched as a pilot project in Sangrur and likely to be launched in other districts to ensure that no one comes out of their homes during the curfew. TNS

VC: Covid testing at Baba Farid varsity

Fazilka: Vice Chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences Dr Raj Bahadur visited the Jalalabad and Fazilka Civil Hospitals to take stock of the situation on Wednesday. The VC said the third government Covid-19 testing centre would be set up in the university within a week. Earlier, the facility was available at Government Medical Colleges in Patiala and Amritsar. OC

Info on foreign returnees sought

Chandigarh: The government has asked all sarpanches/nambardars in villages to immediately provide information on all residents in their respective villages, who would have travelled abroad after March 1 or who would have received relatives from abroad. Instructions have been issued to also find out the number of persons who visited the Hola Mohalla in Anandpur Sahib. TNS

Deliveries at Empanelled private hospitals

Chandigarh: In view of the increasing pressure on the public healthcare infrastructure amid concerns over the spread of Covid, the state government has allowed deliveries in empanelled private hospitals under the Ayushman Bharat Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana without any referral from government facilities. The government has allowed 10 procedures pertaining to obstetrics and gynecology, including high-risk deliveries and Cesarean section. TNS