Jalandhar administration to ensure distancing in grain markets

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, April 8

To prevent the spread of Covid in mandis and to protect the health and safety of farmers and labourers, the 30X30 feet bocks have been made at all permanent mandis to ensure social distancing. Drawn with white chalk on the mandis’ brick floors, this is being done to ensure at least 6 feet social distancing as per Covid protocol.

Notably, neighbouring to Jalandhar, amidst the present peak in Covid the Kapurthala district cases have also surpassed all previous records. While the district has seen over 9,000 cases of Covid, it is piling on over 150 cases on an average for the past one week. Today the cases hit an ever high 177 one-day mark in the district.

An average of three deaths is also being witnessed in Kapurthala every day. Recently four deaths were also seen in a single day.

Informing regarding this, Kapurthala DC Deepti Uppal said across 42 permanent mandis in the district the exercise was being undertaken and in view of Covid, 20 temporary mandis were also being made. The DC said to prevent crowds accumulating in mandis, passes were also being released to farmers so that farmers bring their grains on designated dates only.

While sodium hypochlroide spray was already being conducted at the mandis, from April 10 onwards handwash stations would also be set up at the mandis, besides there would be availability of masks and sanitisers at the purchase centres.