New directions on essential services in Punjab : The Tribune India

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Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 25

To streamline the curfew management and facilitate supply of essentials, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has issued a

Volunteers may also be engaged, if need be, for ensuring prompt door-to-door delivery of essential commodities.

— Capt Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister

fresh set of directives to the police and civil administration, including detailed instructions for issuance of passes to maintain the critical system and services, to ensure that the people are not inconvenienced in these difficult times.

Extending a helping hand

To ensure supply of critical material and equipment to government hospitals, the DCs asked to contact Principal Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, and MD, Punjab Health Systems Corporation
Follow requisite protocol issued by the Health Department for testing suspected cases
Health Department and police officials asked to monitor those already traced and placed under home quarantine
Police and administrative officials to ensure door-to-door delivery of essential items for desired or prescribed period

The Chief Minister has constituted a committee, under the chairmanship of ACS (Industry and Commerce), to oversee the procurement processes for all Covid-related items.

To ensure timely supply of critical material and equipment to government hospitals, PHCs and CHCs, the DCs have been asked to contact the PSHFW and MD, PHSC. The material includes PPE kits, masks and medicines.

Capt Amarinder has ordered that the requisite protocol issued by the Health Department for testing suspected cases be followed meticulously.

Giving importance to tracing all international passengers, who arrived after March 10, the Chief Minister said the work should continue unabated.

He directed the Health Department and police officials to ensure monitoring of those already traced and placed under home-quarantine.

While continuing with its earlier curfew orders, the state government will take all possible steps to avoid any undue inconvenience to providers of essential services and the general public, the Chief Minister said.

He has directed the police and administrative officials to ensure door-to-door delivery of essentials for the desired/prescribed period and it may, as far as possible, be further streamlined with the assistance of e-commerce companies/service providers.

“Volunteers may also be engaged, if need be, for ensuring prompt door-to-door delivery of essential commodities,” the Chief Minister said.

Providers of essential services whether individuals (hawkers/delivery boys) or institutions should be allowed to operate for fixed duration, but on specific permissions and after observing required health safeguards, he added.

For special goods trains, which have been arranged to move foodgrains out of the state to ensure adequate storage space for the wheat crop, the Department of Food has issued guidelines.

The Chief Minister has also ordered sanitisation of affected or vulnerable areas, for which guidelines have been issued by the Department of Health and Family Welfare.

For procurement of wheat, ACS (Development) and PSFS will issue a comprehensive mandi-wise plan in due course. Likewise, for the harvesting of potatoes, ACS will issue necessary guidelines by March 27.