By SK.Vyas
New Delhi, March 26, 2020: Amid the outbreak of COVID-19 and the 21-day lockdown to combat the pandemic Hon'ble Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Anil Baijal and Hon'ble Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal held a meeting on Thursday with the senior officials. Thereafter, the Hon'ble LG and the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Delhi held a joint press conference. Addressing the press conference they announced that all the essential services will remain open during Covid-19 lockdown, and assured that people who are involved in delivering these services will be allowed. They also said that online service providers/e-retailers delivering essential services and goods to be allowed. All essential services shops can remain open 24 hours so that there is no rush of people. Mr. Kejriwal said that he held a meeting with Delhi Police officials and told them to allow such services. He also said that the Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs) have been tasked with ensuring that all the grocery shows and other utility stores remain open.
CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal said, "Today we have discussed the situation of Delhi in terms of coronavirus outbreak and also the delivery of essential services. Today we have ordered that there will be no restriction on e-commerce companies providing essential services. We have also formulated a plan by which we can check if the essential service providers are working at the ground and if they have enough stock or not. The SDMs and ACPs Will ensure that all shops in their area providing essential services are open and they have enough stock of essential commodities. We have witnessed that the shops which are providing essential services are facing huge crowds and therefore we have decided that shops selling essential items will be allowed to remain open 24×7."
Right now Delhi has a total of 36 COVI-19 positive cases. In the last 24 hours, only one new case was reported. Among the 36 cases, 26 of them traveled from Coronavirus affected countries and 10 people got the virus through the local transmission.
"In Delhi, the central government, Delhi government, police and the residents of Delhi are working together to combat this pandemic. Most of the people are following the instructions and staying Indore but we have some cases of violations of the lockdown orders. I will request every resident of Delhi to follow the lockdown order," said Kejriwal.
"We are issuing e-passes to people engaged in manufacturers, transport, and storage of essential items, as well as the people who work in private or government essential services. Also, people engaged in the supply and distribution of five basic essential items like milk, vegetables, ration shops, chemists and pharmacists. The helpline number for this is 1031. You can call the helpline number, intimate the authorities regarding the essential services you are engaged in, and you will be issued the e-pass," he added.
The Chief Minister said, "We have instructed the SDMs and the ACPs of the area to ensure that the shops which provide medicines, milk, vegetables, Ration, essential goods should be opened and they should have sufficient stock. We have ordered that these officials should also ensure that the factories which work on the manufacturing of essential commodities should be opened. We have also requested the police that if they see any essential service provider at the road who does not have the pass the police should allow such people. The government is working relentlessly to provide passes to all the essential service providers."
CM Arvind Kejriwal said that the Delhi government has decided and issued orders that the e-commerce delivery of essential services should not stop in Delhi. The company ID cards of these delivery people will be accepted as their proof and will be allowed to travel.
"In Delhi, there is one Mohalla clinic Doctor Who is suffering from Coronavirus and his wife and daughter are also affected. It is a sad incident. There is a rumor going on that due to this incident every Mohalla clinic of Delhi will be closed. This is completely wrong information because we will ensure every Mohalla clinic to be fully functional during this tough time," said the CM.
CM Arvind Kejriwal said that many state governments are working in very innovative ways to tackle this pandemic and that they are constantly in touch with those state governments. He said that the Delhi government is also ensuring that the doctors, nurses and other health officials who are dealing with Coronavirus affected patients must go through tests to check if they are also affected by the virus.