4,600 challaned in a day for not wearing mask

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 7

As many as 4,600 challans for failure to wear mask in public, 160 for spitting and 24 for not adhering to social distancing norms were issued on Friday alone. Rapping violators, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh said such irresponsible behaviour could not be allowed.

Responding to questions during the latest FB Live edition of #AskCaptain, the Chief Minister said Covid situation had so far been manageable due to strict lockdown imposed in the state and the cooperation of people.

Elaborating on the state’s roadmap to handle the pandemic, the Chief Minister said with 2,461 total positive cases, of which 2,070 had recovered, the state’s situation was under control so far. As of June 5, he said 48 people had died of the infection. A total of 1,13,000 samples had been tested and only 438 persons had to be put in isolation with just three persons having to be placed on oxygen and other three on ventilator since the outbreak of the pandemic in the state.

He pointed out to a Punjab University student that the decision to cancel offline exams in the university did not lie with the state government as it was a subject that was in the UGC’s purview that had announced that the final semester examinations would be held in July. However, for the other semesters, he said he would request the university and the college authorities to take students’ concerns into account and delay the exams.

Clearly touched by the wish of a Patiala resident Manjeet, who said he had been the CM’s agent in his first election in 1980, to have a cup of tea with him, Capt said he would personally arrange for the same soon. “Stay healthy, you are not going anywhere. We have to fight more elections together,” the CM said.