COVID 19 WAR ROOM PRESS RELEASE

Chandigarh, 26th May, 2020: Hon’ble Governor of Punjab and Administrator, UT Chandigarh, Sh. VP Singh Badnore today presided over Daily War Room meeting.  The meeting was attended by Sh. Manoj Parida, Adviser, UT, Chandigarh and Sh. Sanjay Beniwal, Director General of Police at Raj Bhawan. The Administrator also interacted with Sh. Arun Gupta, Principal Secretary (Home), Sh. AK Sinha, Finance Secretary, Sh. KK Yadav, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation and Sh. Mandip Singh Brar, Deputy Commissioner, Chandigarh,  Deputy Commissioners of Mohali & Panchkula, Director-PGIMER, Director Health Services and Director Principal, GMCH through Video Conferencing.

WAR ROOM DIRECTIONS

1. The Hon’ble Governor of Punjab and Administrator, UT, Chandigarh reviewed the test results and expressed satisfaction that the testing of samples in Containment Zone and Buffer Zone of Bapu Dham Colony has substantially increased.  He desired that the patients, whose samples have been taken, could be quarantined in GMSH, Sector 16 and GMCH, Sector 32, till the results were received.

2. The Administrator thanked all the three medical institutions for providing medical teams for collection of samples in Bapu Dham Colony.

3. The Administrator directed all government staff including Municipal, Police and Health officials to use proper protective gears, while performing their duties in Containment Zones.  

4. The Administrator directed Deputy Commissioner to ensure that adequate ration items are distributed in Containment Zones.  Private donors and NGOs should also be associated to contribute to the cause.

5. The Administrator directed Commissioner, Municipal Corporation to ensure regular sanitization in the Containment Zones and also to ensure that the waste, particularly medical waste of Sample Centres is properly disposed off.

6. The Administrator stated that several representations have been received for opening of the areas, which are presently under Containment and Buffer Zones.  He clarified that such relaxation can only be given as per the Government of India’s guidelines, after lapse of specific number of days from the last positive case.

7. The Administrator stated that he is aware of the inconveniences being caused to the local residents.  However, for the sake of restricting infection, such hardship is unavoidable.

8. The Administrator directed Commissioner, Municipal Corporation to ensure that necessary drinking water supply to the city is properly made.  Tankers should be dispatched, wherever necessary.

• Sh. Arun Kumar Gupta, Principal Secretary Health stated that 83 persons have returned from abroad, out of which 16 persons have been discharged from the hotels on completion of 07 days stay and after they were tested negative.  He also stated that 70 domestic flyers have arrived in the city and have been advised self-monitoring, as per Central Government’s guidelines.

• Sh. AK Sinha, Finance Secretary stated that 31,000 stranded persons have been sent from Chandigarh by various special Shramik trains and buses arranged locally.

• Sh. KK Yadav, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation stated that markets are being regularly sanitized and the vendors are also being regularly screened.  He stated that Sports Complexes have been opened only for the training purposes.

• Sh. Mandip Singh Brar, Deputy Commissioner stated that 53,236 cooked food packets have been distributed among the destitutes and needy persons in various parts of the city.  Further, 3,06,000 persons have downloaded Aarogya Setu Applications in UT, Chandigarh.   He also stated that 11,350 MTs of wheat has been procured from the farmers.  He also stated that keeping in view the hardship of the workers in the Bapu Dham Colony Containment Zone, the District Administration has contacted their employers to ensure that they get due wages and do not lose their jobs due to confinement in Containment/Buffer Zones.

• Sh. Manoj Parida, Adviser stated that test results of samples collected from different areas have been analyzed.  Necessary review of boundaries of Containment Zone and Buffer Zone will be done as per the directions received from Government of India.

• The Administrator instructed Director Health Services, Dr. G. Dewan & Director Principal, GMCH, Dr. BS Chavan to give sufficient attention to non-covid patients and activate the OPD towards its full capacity.  He expressed happiness in reduction of infant mortality rate in Chandigarh, which is a major achievement.

• The Administrator also directed all concerned to continue with intensive and aggressive testing, particularly in affected zones.  He appealed to the residents to strictly follow the social distancing norms and hand hygiene, as advised by the Union Government.