Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 25

In view of the emergent situation, arising out of the spread of coronavirus and the increasing pressure of public healthcare infrastructure, the government has allowed all kinds of deliveries in the impanelled private hospitals under Ayushman Bharat Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana without any need of taking referral from the Government facilities.

As per an order issued by Secretary Health, the decision was taken by exercising of powers under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, the Government of Punjab has already issued the Punjab Epidemic Diseases, COVID-19 Regulations, 2020 for the containment and prevention of the spread of COVID-19.

The government said that amid the current situation the government hospitals may be over-burdened with various quarantine, treatment and containment measures to be implemented to meet the exigency of the situation.

Therefore, considering the current situation, ten procedures pertaining to obstetrics and gynecology including high-risk deliveries and cesarean section which was earlier reserved for government hospitals stands de-reserved with immediate effect.

Thus, the treatment of these ten procedures can be availed from impanelled private hospitals under the scheme which was earlier prohibited without getting referred from the government facilities.

Procedures:

1 Caesarian Delivery

2 High-risk delivery: Premature delivery

3 High-risk delivery: Expected Gestation at delivery less than 35 weeks

4 High-risk delivery: Mothers with eclampsia or imminent eclampsia

5 High-risk delivery: Obstructed labour

6 High-risk delivery: Major Fetal malformation requiring intervention immediately after birth

7 High-risk delivery: Mothers with severe anemia

8 High-risk delivery: Other maternal and fetal conditions as per guidelines such as Rh haemolytic disease, uncontrolled diabetes, severe growth retardation, etc that qualify for high-risk delivery, etc.

9 Normal Delivery

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 25

Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta on Wednesday shared a series of videos on his social media accounts where he appealed to people to follow the guidelines issued by the administration.

Gupta suggested people to utilise this relatively free time to share innovative ideas to spread awareness on Covid.

“I would invite the people on social media, especially the youngsters, to utilise this time of curfew to enhance their creativity and share ideas to create awareness about the virus. We all should work together to curtail the spread of this disease to keep everyone safe,” Gupta said in a video that has gone viral on the social media.

“The men of the Punjab Police too are attentive on roads and doing a remarkable job and I appeal to all of you to cooperate with administration to make implementation of the curfew easier,” Gupta said.

The Punjab Police have launched the initiative to promote community policing and improve trust factor with citizenry in the hour of crisis. Sources say the authorities might launch a campaign to engage people so that they stay at their homes.

Chandigarh, March 25

The Punjab Police on Wednesday distributed food to the underprivileged in many parts of the state and also ensured home delivery of essentials to daily wagers and slum dwellers amid a countrywide lockdown to check the spread of coronavirus, officials said.

The humane action comes a day after several videos purportedly showing the police personnel slapping and hitting those defying prohibitory orders went viral on social media.

The police personnel organised ‘langars’ (community meal) to feed those who can barely manage a meal without their daily wage, the officials said.

In Amritsar, police made arrangements at Ghah Mandi and Ram Bagh area for distributing food to daily wagers. After making announcements from police vehicle, food was given to the poor while maintaining social distance, said Amritsar Station House Officer Neeraj Kumar.

“We have distributed over 300 packets each of milk and fruit to the needy people. We have a list of people to whom food items will be distributed,” he said.

In Tarn Taran, police distributed chapattis and other items to the poor. At Nakodar in Jalandhar, police with the help of residents distributed ration to 300 households, which included rickshaw pullers, slum dwellers, daily wagers within and on the outskirts of the city, the officials said.

Videos showing police personnel delivering essential items at doorsteps of houses of slum dwellers and daily wagers were also widely circulated on social media.

On Tuesday, police had registered 232 FIRs and arrested 111 people for violating prohibitory orders. — PTI

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.

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.

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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.

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.

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.

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.