Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur today said senior citizens must be given priority as they cannot be made to stand in long queues to make purchases from shops during curfew relaxation.
Talking to The Tribune, Thakur said direction had been issued to all Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police to ensure that all elderly persons and senior citizens are not made to wait in queues to get essential commodities. “I have told the DCs and SPs through video conferencing to tell the staff regulating public during curfew relaxation to give priority to senior citizens,” he said.
Testing facility at Mandi, Kasauli
We are pursuing the issue of creating testing facility at zonal hospital, Mandi and Central Research Institute, Kasauli, also so that the entire state is adequately covered though I feel testing facilities at the IGMC, Shimla, and Tanda are sufficient. — Jai Ram Thakur, Chief Minister
One could see several elderly persons standing in long queues for very long to get their turn to purchase essential commodities.
He said the officials are in constant touch with suppliers outside the state to ensure that there is no dearth of essential commodities like vegetables, milk, pulses and food grains. “There is apprehension that with supply chain from other states being affected, there could shortage but the officials are working on it,” he assured. He also said officials had been directed to ensure residents do not face any problem in getting medicines and LPG cylinders.
He said it would take a day or two for the system to get streamlined as initially there are bound to be teething problems. He urged people not to indulge in panic buying or hoarding as this would deprive many others of essential commodities. “Since regular supply will be maintained there is no need for stocking unnecessarily,” he said.
He said there is no cause for panic and the only thing to be kept in mind by every citizen is to stay home and ensure own safety and those of others. Thakur said those who had travel history from the high risk countries in particular and from abroad as well had been home quarantined as a precautionary measure. “Health teams and the district administration is in touch with them and tests of only those who are symptomatic are being done,” he elaborated.