Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur held video conferencing with all the Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police and Chief Medical Officers of the State from Shimla today to take stock of the situation in wake of curfew in the State due to outbreak of Corona epidemic in the country as well as the State. He directed the officers that it should be ensured that there was no inconvenience to the people and sufficient essential commodities were made available to them during the relaxation period of curfew. He also asked the DCs that proper social distancing must be ensured between person to person during relaxation period of the curfew.Jai Ram Thakur urged the people of the State to purchase the essential commodities from the shops nearer to their homes by maintaining appropriate social distancing as it was the proper way to break the chain of corona virus. He said that only one person of a family should be allowed during relaxation period of curfew for taking essential commodities.He directed the Deputy Commissioners to ensure that production in pharma industries was not affected as they were manufacturing several life saving drugs. He also asked the Deputy Commissioners to make adequate arrangements of food and shelter to the vulnerable sections of the society. He said that such people should be provided food and shelter for which school buildings could also be utilized.Chief Minister asked all the DCs to ensure that inter and intra State exodus must be completely stopped for atleast 4-5 days because this could prove very counterproductive and defeat the sole purpose of social distancing. He said that instead of this, the deputy commissioners must motivate such people to remain stationed wherever they are and ensure proper arrangement for their food and shelter. He said that they should also be motivated and assured that the Government was committed for their better care and they need not to worry.
Jai Ram Thakur said that if in any case person of other State has crossed over to this State, he should be identified and kept in surveillance and quarantine for 14 days. He said that such stranded people should be provided dry ration as well as cooked food as per their demands. He said that social distancing must be ensured in the camps for such people.Chief Minister said that in order to facilitate the people a tele-medicine hub was being created in the State under National Health Mission Himachal Pradesh which would be connected through Health and Wellness Centres in different parts of the State. He said that these Centres would work daily in two shifts from 8 AM to 8 PM and provide consultancy in medicine, paediatrics and psychiatry.He said that there were adequate number of ventilators in all the three medical colleges earmarked for treatment of Covid-19 virus. He said that in addition to this sufficient number of PPE kits were also available in health institutions of the State.Chief Minister said that as many as 2409 people had come from the foreign countries to the State so far out of which 724 people had completed 28 days of surveillance period. He said that investigations of 29 persons for COVID-19 had been done today out of which 24 samples from Tanda Medical College were found negative and report of 5 samples collected in IGMC Shimla were also found negative. He said that 179 persons had so far been investigated in the State for corona virus. He further said that the COVID-19 positive person admitted in Tanda Medical College was found negative today also. Chief Secretary Anil Khachi asked the DCs to undertake documentation of losses due to this epidemic. He said that the district administrations must go for local procurement of fruits and vegetables so that farmers do not sell their produce in distress.Additional Chief Secretary Health R.D. Dhiman said that the patient under treatment in Medical College Tanda who was tested negative yesterday was again tested negative today. He said that the other patient who was tested positive yesterday would be tested again after a week. Director General of Police S.R. Mardi said that stern action would be taken against those involved in spreading fake news. Education Minister Suresh Bhardwaj, Additional Chief Secretary, Home Manoj Kumar, Principal Secretary Transport J.C. Sharma, Principal Secretary Revenue Onkar Sharma, Secretaries Rajneesh, Devesh Kumar, Amitabh Awasthi and Director Information and Public Relations Harbans Singh Brascon attended the meeting.