Girish Dayalan
Mohali, April 19, 2020: SAS Nagar DC Girish Dayalan has said that Mohali will not be relaxing the curfew on April 20 since the district has the highest number of cases in the state and not reached the stage of no new cases in 14 days. Opening up would imply a large population who work/ reside in tricity moving to and fro in surrounding areas.
The following is the order issued by the DC in this regard:
"ORDER
1. WHEREAS, COVID19 has already been declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) and National Disaster Management Authority, being satisfied that the country is threatened with the COVID19 epidemic, has declared a lockdown in the entire country.
2. WHEREAS, in exercise of powers under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, the Government of Punjab has already issued the Punjab Epidemic Diseases, COVID19 Regulations, 2020 for the containment and prevention of the spread of COVID19.
3. WHEREAS, revised guidelines have been received from Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India (MHA, GoI) which allow certain additional activities to be opened in the country w.e.f. April 20, 2020. It has also been categorically stated vide Para 2 that these guidelines shall not apply to Containment Zones created in “Hotspots” i.e. areas of large outbreak of COVID19 or clusters with significant spread of COVID19 as determined by guidelines of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), GoI.
4. WHEREAS, as per the guidelines of MoHFW:
1. A large outbreak is defined as localized increase in the incidence of a COVID-19 cases occurring within a defined geographic area e.g., in a village, town, or city. The cases may or may not be epidemiologically linked. For operational purpose, a large outbreak is deemed to be present when there are 15 or more cases.
2. Geographic quarantine strategy calls for near absolute interruption of movement of people to and from a relatively large defined geographic area where there is single large outbreak or multiple foci of local transmission of COVID-19. In simple terms, it is a barrier erected around the focus of infection.
3. Geographic quarantine shall be applicable to such areas reporting large outbreak and/or multiple clusters of COVID-19 spread over multiple blocks of one or more districts that are contiguous based on the distribution of cases and contacts.
4. Containment/ buffer zones are to be created with a boundary for geographic quarantine to be defined based on:
a. geospatial distribution of each cluster contained within,
b. largest administrative unit containing all clusters, and
c. feasibility to implement strict interruption of movement of people.
5. WHEREAS, as on April 18, 2020, the number of COVID positive cases in the district are 57 which is the highest in the State. Further, keeping in view the above guidelines, in the
District – village Jawaharpur, Derabassi, being an area of large outbreak with 37 cases, shall be a “containment zone” along with neighboring villages of Devi Nagar, Haripur Kurha and Mukandpur – which have adjacent ‘phirnis’ or geographically contiguity. Buffer Zone shall extend to 2 kms beyond the containment zone.
6. WHEREAS, in case of positive cases in other areas of District Mohali, all incidences of 2+ cases are within the same household/ family and epidemiologically linked. Extensive contact tracing and testing has already been completed with over 900 tests in the District and some of these positive cases have already recovered While in such a scenario, there is no need to create a “containment zone” in these areas, there remains a potential threat in the District due to its distinct geographical location The District shares its border with the U.T. of Chandigarh and the states of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. A considerable number of people travel to Mohali and back from these states because of either their workplace or residence being located here. In such circumstances, where the District has not yet reached a stage of 14 days without a positive case and has the highest number of COVID positive cases in Punjab, the threat of the pandemic spreading can yet not be ruled out.
7. WHEREAS, as per Para 4 of the MHA guidelines, States could impose stricter measures than these guidelines, as per requirements of local areas. In order to contain the spread of COVID 19, which poses a threat to human life, health and safety; curfew was already imposed in the entire state until further orders, to enforce stricter measures of isolation and social distancing.
8. Now, THEREFORE, I, Girish Dayalan, IAS, District Magistrate, SAS Nagar, Mohali in exercise of powers conferred under Section 144 of Cr. PC hereby order that in keeping in view the emergent nature and potential magnitude of the pandemic and for the purpose of ensuring health and safety of human life by enforcing stricter measures – the curfew imposed in the District shall remain in force and operation of any additional activities (not already allowed under previous orders/ exemptions) shall not take place without specific exemptions granted by this office – which shall be determined on the basis of the objectives of essential nature of the activity, the mitigation of hardship to the public and ensuring continuity of Government business.
9. The Order of 11.04.2020 indicating the consolidated exemptions (Annexure I) shall continue to operate subject to the following changes:
a) Government offices:
i. Only Central Government offices mentioned at 18 (i) of the MHA Guidelines such as Defence, Central Armed Police Forces, Health and Family Welfare, Disaster Management and Customs etc. may operate without restriction.
ii. All other Government offices shall remain closed subject to necessary/ urgent work where the Head of Office may operate with skeletal staff – with necessary curfew passes.
b) Operation of Industrial Establishments Units and Brick Kilns
i. GM, Industries shall verify all proposals made by the establishment/ industry concerned and shall accord necessary permission to commence operations in case conditions given below are complied with.
ii. All proposals shall necessarily meet the conditions that the industry/establishment concerned shall make all arrangements for stay of workers within their premises as far as possible and/ or adjacent buildings and for implementation of the Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) as referred to in Annexure II.
c) Construction activities:
i. only where workers are available on site and no workers are required to be brought in from outside (in situ construction) will be permissible.
ii. All such units shall make an application to the GM, Industries who shall verify all such applications made by the concerned and accord necessary permission to commence operations subject to the condition that the concerned shall implement the Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) as referred to in Annexure II.
iii. Stone crushers, mining of sand and gravel and its transport, sale outlets of cement, steel etc. shall also be allowed under the head of construction activities subject to the submission of an application to the GM, Industries for consent to operate and on fulfilment of the conditions and as per the hours of operation as determined by the GM,Industries.
Any violations shall invite criminal proceedings under the relevant provisions of the Disaster Management Act,2005 and the Indian Penal Code,1860.
Given under my hand and seal.
GIRISH DAYALAN, IAS
DISTRICT MAGISTRATE
SAS NAGAR, MOHALI"