Deputy Commissioner Mr Pradeep Kumar Agrawal has informed that the District Administration has decided to provide approval to industries falling in designated industrial areas as per the master plan to operate on the basis of self declaration to be submitted by them. For this purpose, the industrialists can get the Labour passes issued from General Manager, District Industries Centre, Ludhiana. He clarified that at the moment, there is no plan to start the industries located in mixed land use areas.Mr Agrawal informed that the relaxations given to public were of three types, and 45 projects related to constriction activity have been granted permission, due to which more than 1000 labourers have got back their jobs and have returned to work. He informed that people are also applying for approvals related to private projects, that would also be granted. He said that several industries are also coming forward and are taking full benefit of government relaxations and now, the industrialists just require labour passes etc to start their factory.He informed that the district administration has already granted permissions for start of shops related to essential commodities, besides, the possibility of opening other kinds of shops is also being discussed, for which detailed orders would be issued shortly. He said that this decision is being taken so that residents get other items along with essential commodities easily.Mr Agrawal said that the migratory population, that is stuck in other states due to ongoing curfew/lockdown, the Union government has issued directions for them. He said that if such persons want to travel to their home state, then they can apply at website www.covidhelp.punjab.gov.in and the link of this facility has also been added in the COVA mobile app.
He informed that details of up to 25 persons can be added in one form and till date, more than 5500 such persons have already applied to travel to their home state. He has appealed to such persons to apply at the above given link or use the COVA app if they want to travel to their home state. He assured that whenever the district administration gets in touch with the concerned states, they would be shifted to their home states.He further clarified that the movement would be made possible only if governments of both the states agree to it. He said that before allowing movement, screening of all persons would be done, and he would be allowed to travel only if he/she is found fit. He informed that the detail of as to how the movement of such persons is to be made, would be issued by the Union government shortly.The Deputy Commissioner informed that till date, 2565 samples have been taken in district Ludhiana till date, out of which report of 2140 has been received and 77 samples (all from district Ludhiana) have been found positive. From district Ludhiana, six patients have been discharged after treatment and four deaths have been reported. There are 67 active patients in the district now, who are undergoing treatment at Civil Hospital Ludhiana and Mother Child Hospital (behind Vardhman Mill), Ludhiana. The reports of 425 samples are awaited. He informed that after a large number of people travelled to Punjab from other states, their samples have been taken now.Mr Agrawal has appealed to the Ludhiana residents that they should stay indoors if they want to fight COVID 19. He said that there is a dire need to break the chain, and it could be broken only if we follow all directions issued by the Punjab government. He thanked the residents for their support and said that is why, the relaxations in ongoing lockdown/curfew have been given.He said that if any person feels that he/she is having any symptoms of COVID 19, they should visit their nearest health centre for checkup/treatment. He said that people should take the increase in number of positive cases in last two days seriously and they should come out of their houses only in case of any emergency.