Chandigarh, April 30, 2020: Calling the four-hour curfew relaxation by Punjab government “bizarre absurdity, and an unwise and out of sync decision which was categorically rejected by 21 District Magistrates-cum-Deputy Commissioners in Punjab” Bir Devinder Singh, former Deputy Speaker, Punjab Vidhan Sabha, and Senior Vice President SAD (Taksali), said, “It speaks volumes of cacophony and lack of management and synchronization at the Chief Minister’s office and down below the district administration,” he said.
“Almost all the Districts refuted the announcement made by the CM at 3 PM on a televised message to relax the curfew restrictions in Punjab. I am of the firm view that this relaxation in Punjab will prove counterproductive and would negate all gains of prolonged lockdown,” said Bir Devinder.
“Very large number of crazy people would violate the restrictions and deterring norms with impunity. Four hours of free for all exercise would spell mayhem and sudden ascend in Covid-19 cases,” he said.
“There are disturbing reports on the visual media that the State Government is not treating the quarantined Sikh pilgrims who returned from Hazoor Sahib after suffering prolonged ordeal for 45 days,” he said.
“There should have been a carefully worked out plan in sync with Standard Operating Procedures to receive all pilgrims at different destinations then quarantined at comfortable places for testin,” he said.
“But unfortunately, these pilgrims were being maltreated and not attended in a decent manner. They are neither prisoner of war nor the surrendered criminals to be treated with unkind behavior. I am told that they are also not being provided even the routine bare minimum items of daily requirement; such as bathing soap, detergents to wash their cloth and fresh food, milk, tea etc,” Bir Devinder said.
“In order to provide comfortable quarantined accommodation, I would suggest, that the State Government should immediately take in to possession the palatial Marriage palaces having amazing facilities, to be used as quarantine centers near the cities,” he suggested.
“All these marriage palaces have comfortable accommodation with pleasing atmosphere including adequate facilities of bathrooms and toilets. Such accommodations could be requisitioned by notification under the Requisitioning and Acquisition of Immovable Property Act, 1952, and these accommodations should be used under emergency conditions of Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
“I would rather appreciate if the Punjab Health Minister Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu could lead by setting up a magnanimous example in offering his own Royal Marriage palace, situated at Suarra Village on Landran-Chunni Road, district SAS Nagar for such a noble purpose and then followed by Mr. Bhartinder Singh Chahal Adviser to CM, who has also built another state of the art marriage palace namely ‘Alczar Wedding Resort’ on Sirhind Patiala Road in District Patiala,” said Bir Devinder.