Control room flooded with queries

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, March 31

In Nawanshahr, many residents are frantically calling the control room, set up at the administrative complex, even to know about common cold and cough symptoms.

There is a lingering fear among people even if they are developing minor symptoms in this season. Those who are due for delivery, too, are calling to know as to where they can go amid this problem. Apart from this, NRIs have been calling and asking the staff regarding testing.

Labour class and migrant labourers are seeking help in getting ration and food. “Most of the calls that we are receiving are from daily wagers,” a staff member operating the control room said.

NGOs and good Samaritans have been lending a helping hand to people who are running out of ration. Cooked food is being served to them at this hour.

One of the councillors said the system needs to be more systematic because there was little help from the government. Not only this, NGOs and others must check that the food is equally distributed among the needy and there is no repetition, because in this case, sometimes those who have nothing suffer the most.

On the other hand, providing succour to the needy and underprivileged sections of society, the Punjab Government led by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday distributed 4,500 packets of dry ration in the district.

Divulging the details, Additional Chief Administrator, Jalandhar Development Authority, Navneet Kaur Bal, who was overseeing the central warehouse constituted by the administration to ensure the distribution, said these packets were sent to various areas of the district. She said the packets contain 22,500 kg wheat; 22,500 kg rice; 4,500 kg sugar, 4,500 kg pulses, 4,500 bottles of oil and 4,500 packets of tea. Bal said no stone was being left unturned for giving relief to people in this hour of crisis, adding that so far 9,900 packets of dry ration containing 49,500 kg wheat flour; 49,500 kg rice; 9,900 kg pulses; 9,900 packets of tea and 9,900 bottles of oil have been distributed to people.