Chandigarh Admn to screen entire population for Covid signs

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 9

Leaving no stone unturned in the fight against Covid-19, the UT Administration has decided to screen the entire population of the city for symptoms of the virus.

“Firstly, house-to-house screening is being done in areas from where positive cases were reported. Over a period of time, the entire city population will be covered,” said Arun Kumar Gupta, Principal Secretary, Health, UT.

During a daily meeting, which was presided over by UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore, to review arrangements for Covid-19 prevention, Gupta stated that 55 teams visited 31,131 houses in Sector 35, 38, Dadu Majra and other areas and checked 54,354 persons for Covid symptoms.

Badnore directed Dr G Dewan, Director, Health Services, to intensify the effort so that the entire population is covered in a short time.

So far, 18 positive cases have been reported from the city, out of which seven have already been discharged from the hospital.

The UT Administrator stated that a draft plan would be prepared for steps to be taken in the post-curfew period. He ordered that infection from neighbouring areas should be prevented by strict screening at border points and providing necessary sanitisation facilities in all public places.

DGP Sanjay Baniwal stated that border points had been sealed and over 2,000 vehicles were seized for violation of curfew orders.

UT Adviser Manoj Parida said as per the Centre’s instructions, all donations to the PM-CARES Fund should be made directly in the designated account. He stated that some donors sent cheques to the Deputy Commissioner, the Adviser and the Punjab Raj Bhawan directly, which should be avoided. Badnore directed the UT Adviser to make donors and people aware of this.

Deputy Commissioner Mandip Singh Brar stated that 54,422 cooked food packets were distributed to the destitutes and the needy people in the city.

MC Commissioner KK Yadav said efforts were being made to utilise the space available in Sector 39 grain market for shifting a few wholesalers from the Sector 26 vegetable and fruit market.