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Capt to Maharashtra: Evacuate 2,000 from Nanded Sahib

Capt to Maharashtra: Evacuate 2,000 from Nanded Sahib

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 25

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday urged the Centre and the Maharashtra Government to immediately evacuate 2,000 pilgrims stuck in Nanded Sahib in the wake of countrywide lockdown.

He tweeted in this connection and written letters to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Maharashtra Chief Minister Udhav Thackeray, a government spokesperson said.

Subsequently, the Maharashtra Government responded with the assurance that action would be taken to help out the stranded pilgrims.

The Maharashtra Chief Minister’s office conveyed to Chief Minister’s Office, Punjab, that steps were being taken in this respect, while Maharashtra Tourism, Environment and Protocol Minister Aditya Thackeray responded to Captain Amarinder’s tweet that: “Thank you sir @capt_amarinder ji. Will look into it and do the needful.”

As trains were cancelled

and the nationwide lockdown imposed, there is no possibility to bring pilgrims back to Punjab without special approval of the Centre, wrote Capt Amarinder.


Punjab Police dept ties up with Zomato, Verka for door-to-door supply

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 25

Amid tighter restrictions as part of the anti-Covid curfew, the Punjab Police on Wednesday went into a mission mode to launch innovative and indigenous initiatives across districts to facilitate door-to-door supply of essential goods through strategic tie-ups with Zomato, Swiggy, Verka, Amul, mandi pradhans, chemist associations, etc.

As a result, the door-to-door supply of essential goods like medicines, grocery, eatables had started in many districts in the state, while similar delivery mechanisms were being worked out in others too. Passes were also being issued to authorised vendors for the supply of essential goods, according to DGP Dinkar Gupta, adding that for home delivery of medicines, in particular, necessary tie-ups were being worked out with the respective chemist associations, so that orders could be taken on phone and home delivery was accordingly undertaken.

In Amritsar and Ludhiana cities, 650 persons had been engaged from Swiggy for home delivery of goods, while in Patiala, home delivery of essential commodities was being ensured in coordination with the delivery boys from Zomato and Swiggy.

As many as 100 trolleys containing essential commodities were dispatched across Sangrur district today by engaging the services of local volunteers, said the DGP.


Admn steps up efforts to provide essential items on doorstep

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Neeraj Bagga
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, March 25

To provide essential items on the doorstep, the district administration has issued a list of contact numbers of shopkeepers and traders.

Admn creates pageson social media

  • The district administration has come up with Facebook and Instagram pages to share government instructions and guidelines with public.
  • The MC and district administration officials will inform the public about the delivery of essential commodities on these pages. On Wednesday, the officials shared the contact numbers of chemists and grocery stores.
  • MC Commissioner Komal Mittal shared social media addresses (https://www.facebook.com/Covid-19-Helpdesk-Amritsar-107240954255808/ and https://instagram.com/dcamritsarofficial?igshid=1o072yect0mnz) and asked the residents to stay in touch with the administration to get the latest updates and instructions on Covid.n “The social media platform is important as we can get direct feedback from people. We welcome the opinions of residents,” said an official.

Deputy Commissioner Shivdular Singh Dhillon said after holding a meeting with different associations of traders, they started providing essential items on the doorstep from Wednesday. He said the sole purpose was not to allow people to gather in front of shops.

The DC said milkmen could deliver milk at houses between 5 am and 8 am. Cooperative organisations Verka and Amul could supply the same between 5 am and 2 pm. However, they would supply milk only to residents.

The DC added that booked LPG cylinders could be delivered between 10 am and 4 pm. He said the area SDMs had been asked to ensure the supply of vegetables by roping in vendors in their areas.

The DC said arrangements for providing fodder to livestock were being made.

However, people complained of not getting essential items, including dairy products, grocery and vegetables, in their areas.

Meanwhile, devotees faced difficulties in performing rituals on the first day of Navratri and commencement of Vikrami Samvat on Wednesday as all temples were closed during the ongoing curfew. Defying the curfew orders, some devotees were seen paying obeisance in front of the closed doors of temples.

61 booked for violating curfew restrictions

The city police on Wednesday booked 61 persons for violating curfew restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Police Commissioner Sukchain Singh Gill said during this period most of the residents in the city stayed indoors.

The Police Commissioner said those who did not follow instructions were booked for violating the curfew. Gill asked residents to cooperate with the police in fighting the coronavirus.

The Police Commissioner warned anti-social elements against sharing rumours or fake news on social media. He said strict action would be taken against them.


Police distribute food items to needy

  • In collaboration with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the city police distributed food items at different slum areas amid curfew here on Wednesday. The Commissioner of Police, Sukhchain Singh Gill, said the police and the administration was committed to provide aid to the needy people , who are following the guidelines of government and staying inside their houses.
  • Today, a team led by Gagan Ajeet Sing, DCP Security and Operations, distributed food packets to 50 families in LIG flats at Maqboolpura with the help of a NGO. Mangal Singh, ACP South, organised the langar with the help of a social organisation. Jatinder Singh, ACP Special Branch, distributed food packets in shanties near Rigo Bridge.

Mumbai runs out of supplies on Day One of lockdown

Mumbai runs out of supplies on Day One of lockdown

People stand in a queue to collect LPG cylinders during a 21-day nationwide lockdown in the wake of coronavirus pandemic at Girgaon in Mumbai on Wednesday. PTI photo

Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service
Mumbai, March 25

The first day of the countrywide lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus saw Mumbaikars scramble for supplies as grocers and vegetable vendors ran out of stock.

Shops began emptying out from Tuesday evening when people rushed out to stock up on food and medicines after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the 21-day lock down.  Shopkeepers who restock their stores 3-4 times a week say they have not been able to get fresh stock from their distributors.

“We have not getting stock from our distributors. Milk powder, instant noodles, onions, potatoes, packaged foods are going out stock,” a provision store owner from Dahisar in suburban Mumbai owner said.

Though milk was available this morning, it is not clear whether supply would be available during the remaining days of the lockdown, according to traders.

“We won’t keep the shop open only to sell milk. It is not worth the trouble,” another shopkeeper told this reporter.

Vegetable vendors said they were not getting enough stock from the wholesalers. Traders at the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee Market at Vashi in Navi Mumbai which supplies fruits and vegetables to Mumbai have been shut for the past three days. “We have stock for vegetables for one day. Trucks carrying vegetables are stuck on highways because of the lockdown,” a trader from the APMC said.

Though the Maharashtra government has assured the public that essential supplies would not be affected, police personnel on the ground are said to be harassing truck drivers. On Tuesday, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray asked senior police officials to ensure that truckers waiting on roadsides are not troubled. Thackeray’s intervention came after videos of policemen beating up truck drivers looking food by the roadside was circulated on social media.

State government sources say the Thackeray administration has been co-ordinating with various departments to ensure that the supply chain between rural and urban Maharashtra was not disrupted during the lockdown.

The lockdown also affected supply of essential items by online portals. Websites like Flipkart, Amazon Pantry, Snapdeal, BigBasket and others have announced suspension of deliveries during the period of the lockdown. Many of them have complained that their delivery personnel have been harassed or beaten up by the police.

Later this afternoon, Deputy Commissiner of Police Pranay Ashok said the state government was working with e-commerce portals and big retailers to provide home-delivery of essential goods to prevent people crowding shops.


Private security agencies should consider their workforce ‘on duty’ during lockdown: MHA

Private security agencies should consider their workforce 'on duty' during lockdown: MHA

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, March 25

The government on Wednesday sent an advisory to all private security agency companies asking them to consider their staff “on duty”, as a humane gesture for the next 21days of countrywide lockdown and do not cut their salaries for the period.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which will be monitoring the lockdown on a daily basis, said India is facing an “unprecedented situation arising out of COVID-19 pandemic” and the agencies are likely to be impacted in the coming days due to closure of shops, malls, and establishments.

Accepting that the pandemic has affected economic activity, MHA urged the agencies to exercise empathy with its workforce.

“This is the time for the private security industry to adopt a humane approach and protect its workers and staff members from lay-offs and consequent decrease in earnings. I would, therefore, urge the industry for empathy with its workforce, vital to its functioning and ensure that these workers continue to be treated on duty and paid accordingly,” the MHA said in the advisory.

The advisory has also been communicated to the industry bodies like CII, FICCI and ASSOCHAM and others.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day lockdown in the country to combat the outbreak.


PM commander, we are soldiers, must support him: Chidambaram

PM commander, we are soldiers, must support him: Chidambaram

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 25

Former Home Minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram today urged everyone to back Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stay-at-home call, saying the PM was the commander and people foot soldiers in the fight against Covid.

“PM’s announcement for a nationwide 21-day lockdown is a watershed moment in the battle against Covid-19. We should put behind us the debates that took place before March 24 and look upon the nationwide lockdown as the beginning of a new battle in which the people are the foot soldiers and the Prime Minister is the Commander. We owe a duty to extend our total support to the Prime Minister, the Central and state governments,” Chidambaram said.

He suggested a 10-point plan to ease stress on the marginalised who would be the worst hit in the lock down period. The plan, he said, was intended to put cash and food in the hands of the poor and vulnerable.

The ex-minister suggested that farmers’ income be doubled under PM-KISAN to Rs 12,000 and transferred to bank accounts. “Bring tenant farmers under PM-KISAN. Give registered MGNREGA workers Rs 3,000,” he said.

For the urban poor, Chidambaram said Jan Dhan accounts with urban branches of banks must be transferred with Rs 6,000 each. “Offer to every ration card holder 10 kg of rice or wheat for free as a one-time measure for the next 21 days. Arrange for home delivery,” he said.

The Congress leader also asked the government to guarantee reimbursement to employers who ensure wages to people amid lockdown.

Further, the former minister sought instructions to banks to extend the date for EMI payment until June 30 and cut GST rates by 5 per cent on all wage goods, essential goods and services, and all goods of mass consumption also until June 30.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said NYAY scheme was the need of the hour.


Residents face hard time as Chandigarh Admn fails to provide essentials Medical shops were also seen closed


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Chandigarh Administration releases list of chemist and grocery shops for home delivery

Chandigarh Administration releases list of chemist and grocery shops for home delivery

Police check documents of cars entering Chandigarh on the Panchkula- Chandigarh border at Mani Majra on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Ravi Kumar

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 25

The Chandigarh Administration on Wednesday announced that medicines will be delivered on the doorsteps of the people and released a list of chemist shops for ordering the medicines by telephone.

It has also decided to open all retail grocery shops in the city and said only home delivery of groceries will be done to the residents.

The first list with contact numbers of retail grocery shops and chemist shops that will provide home delivery of groceries and medicines is uploaded on the website of the Chandigarh Administration.

Click here for the list of grocery shops

Below is the list of the chemist and grocery shops

The Chandigarh Administration clarified that no individual is allowed to visit any retail grocery shop or chemist shop for direct purchase of groceries or medicines and they can only order by telephone.

In case anyone is found violating the provision, then strict legal action would be taken against both the individual and the shop owner as per law, it said.

 

 


Centre issues fresh guidelines on lockdown exemption Veterinary hospitals, pharmacies, forest staff, ATM operations among exempted

Centre issues fresh guidelines on lockdown exemption

New Delhi, March 25

The home ministry on Wednesday issued fresh guidelines covering additional people and services who will be exempted from the 21-day lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In the new guidelines, the ministry said Reserve Bank of India and RBI-regulated financial markets, pay and accounts officers and field officers of the CAG, petroleum products and supply chain and forest staff are exempted from the purview of the lockdown.

Read: Curfew: Punjab issues fresh guidelines on supplies, movement control

Those people handling cargo operations in airports and railway stations, coal mining activities, officers and staff of resident commissioners based in Delhi and customs clearance at ports, airports and land borders are also exempted.

Forest offices staff and workers required to operate and maintain zoo, nurseries, wildlife, fire fighting in forests, watering plantations, patrolling and their necessary transport movement, social welfare department staff for operations of homes for children, disabled, senior citizens, destitute women, widows, observation homes and pensions service are also exempted, the guidelines said.

The lockdown was announced by the prime minister on Tuesday in a bid to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

After Modi’s announcement, the home ministry on Tuesday night issued some guidelines for enforcement of the nationwide lockdown.

The guidelines listed several services, including government and private offices, that will be out of bounds during the period, while exempting establishments such as hospitals, ration shops, dairies, banks, insurance offices, and print and electronic media.

Delivery of all essential goods including food, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment through e-commerce has also been exempted from the purview of the lockdown.

“All enforcing authorities to note that these strict restrictions fundamentally relate to movement of people, but not to that of essential goods,” the guidelines issued on Tuesday said.

In Wednesday’s guidelines, veterinary hospitals, pharmacies (including Jan Aushadhi Kendra) and pharmaceutical research laboratories, IT vendor for banking operations, banking correspondent and ATM operations and cash management agencies were exempted.

Shops for seeds and pesticides data and call centre for government, manufacturing units of essential goods, including drugs, pharmaceutical, medical devices, their raw material and intermediates, coal and mineral production, transportation, supply of explosives and activities incidental to mining operations were exempted from the 21-day lockdown.

Manufacturing units of packaging material for food items, drugs, pharmaceutical and medical devices, inter-state movement of goods/cargo for inland and exports, cross land border movement of essential goods including petroleum products and LPG, food products, medical supplies were also exempted.

The guidelines on Tuesday said all educational, training, research, coaching institutions etc., shall remain closed, places of worship shall remain closed. No religious congregations will be permitted, without any exception.

“All social/ political/ sports/ entertainment/ academic/ cultural/ religious functions gatherings shall be barred,” they said. — PTI


25 killed in suicide bombing at Kabul gurdwara, IS owns it 4 attackers killed in 6-hour operation; ISIS claims attack

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Kabul, March 25

At least 25 worshippers were killed and eight others injured when a heavily armed suicide bomber stormed his way into a prominent gurdwara today in the heart of Afghanistan’s capital of Kabul, in one of the deadliest attacks on the minority Sikh community in the strife-torn country.

The Islamic State (IS), which has targeted Sikhs before in Afghanistan, claimed responsibility for the attack on the gurdwara in Shor Bazar area around 7.45 am (local time) as 150 worshippers were inside the building.

Amarinder Singh, Punjab CM

It’s tragic, unfortunate

Extremely tragic and unfortunate. Request President @Ashraf Ghani Ji to find out the perpetrators and look after our people.

“Unfortunately, 25 civilians were killed and eight others injured,” the Ministry of Interior said on the attack carried out by a gunman, who was killed by Afghan special forces. It said 80 persons, including women and children, stranded inside the gurdwara were rescued by the security forces.

 Earlier, the Afghan media reported the attack that lasted about six hours was carried out by four terrorists.

The IS issued a statement confirming its members carried out the attack on Sikhs in Kabul city, Khaama Press News Agency reported.

 TOLOnews, quoting sources in the Afghan government, blamed the Haqqani group for the attack. The Pakistan-based Haqqani group, designated by the US as a banned terror outfit, has conducted several deadly attacks inside Afghanistan.

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2Kabul police said that at least 11 children have been rescued from Dharamshala, a Sikh worship area in PD1 of , after a “suicide bombers attack.”

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 Photos show security forces transferring victims of the attack at Dharamshala, a Sikh worship area in PD1 of .

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Earlier, Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said in a statement the militant group had no link with the attack in Shor Bazar area of Kabul. Police in Kabul said at least 11 children were rescued from the gurdwara.

Also read: India condemns terrorist attack on Kabul gurdwara

Afghan security forces near the site of the attack on a gurdwara in Kabul, Afghanistan, March 25, 2020. REUTERS
An Afghan Sikh family arrives to see their relatives near the site of an attack on a gurdwara in Kabul, Afghanistan, March 25, 2020. REUTERS

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani condemned the attack. “The attack on the religious sites shows the extreme weakness of the enemy, religious sites should not be vulnerable to attacks and violence,” he said. In New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was saddened by the attack. – PTI


Reflects diabolical mindset, say MEA

New Delhi, March 25

The government as well as ruling BJP emphasised on the minority community aspect while condemning the terrorist attack on Gurdwara Guru Har Rai in Kabul.

The BJP questioned Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and others “opposing” the CAA — the controversy issue occupying political mind space before Covid-19 took over the centre stage. Making pointed reference to targeting of a minority place of worship, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) suggested there was a pattern behind it. It also offered to extend all possible assistance to the affected families of the Hindu and Sikh community of Afghanistan.

“Such cowardly attacks on the places of worship of the minority community, especially at this time of Covid-19 pandemic, is reflective of the diabolical mindset of the perpetrators and their backers,” said an MEA statement while conveying the government’s sincerest condolences to the victims’ kin.

Union Minister Hardeep Puri said, “Suicide attack on the Kabul gurdwara needs to be strongly condemned. “

BJP’s Delhi leader RP Singh said he hoped, “Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh and others who are opposing CAA will have answer for attack.”

The Rashtriya Sikh Sangat has sought PM’s intervention to ensure safety and security of Sikhs and Hindus trapped in the shrine and their properties. Sangat president GS Gill condemned the attack. — PTI/TNS