Chandigarh Administration makes mask must for residents at public places

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 7

To prevent the spread of Covid-19, the UT Administration has made it mandatory for residents to use a mask or cover the face or mouth with a piece of cloth when at a public place.

UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore took the decision during a daily review meeting held in the war room at the Secretariat today. The meeting was attended by Adviser Manoj Parida, Principal Secretary, Home, Arun Gupta, Finance Secretary AK Sinha, DGP Sanjay Baniwal, MC Commissioner KK Yadav and DC Mandip Singh Brar. The Administrator also interacted with the DCs of Mohali and Panchkula, the Director, PGIMER, the Director, Health Services, and the Director-Principal, GMCH, through video-conferencing.

It has also been decided to defer the payment of water and electricity charges and rent of dwelling units in rehabilitation colonies.

During the meeting, Parida informed the Administrator that the number of active Covid cases in the city had come down to 11, which indicated the success of curfew measures and observation of social distancing by residents.

The Administrator directed the Principal Secretary, Health, to prepare a Covid management plan for the city on the basis of the guidelines issued by the Government of India.

Yadav said a special cleanliness drive had been launched at Faidan today.

The DC said 55,150 food packets had been distributed among destitute in various parts of the city. He stated that necessary arrangements had been made for the use of Red Cross ambulance to transport bodies to the cremation ground. He said families at Faidan were given ration packets, so that they do not have to come out of the village.

Rubinderjit Singh Brar, Director, Higher Education, stated that online classes were being held for students of classes IX and XI through Google classes. The Administrator directed the DHE to explore the possibility of providing the facility to the students of classes I to VIII.

The DGP said the Muslim community in Chandigarh had agreed to observe Shab-e-Barat at their homes only and would not go out.