By OUR STAFF REPORTER
DEHRADUN, 26 Mar: The Government today decided to relax the timings for markets to open tomorrow. Tomorrow the markets will open from 7 am till 1 pm. It is not clear whether the relaxed timing will be continued on other days also. Probably, it will depend on the public’s response and behaviour in respect of the relaxed timings. Chief Minister conducted a detailed review of the situation in the state through video conferencing. Some other measures were also taken with a view to provide relief to the people during the period of the lockdown. Tomorrow only two wheelers with just one rider would be allowed during the relaxation but four wheelers would be prohibited. In addition, the government also took cognisance of many shopkeepers taking undue advantage of the situation and charging unduly high prices of essential items such as Atta. The Chief Minister directed that the wheat flour mills be kept running. In order to check overcharging by the shopkeepers, it was directed that shops display rate list on a mandatory basis. Immediate assistance be made available to registered and other workers and other needy poor It was also decided to allow pharmaceutical companies to keep their production units running in the state but with the condition that they take necessary precautions to keep Corona at bay. Similarly food processing units were also permitted to operate even during the lockdown period. It was further decided that those coming from outside, be made to home quarantine on a mandatory basis. The CM also directed that the Corona suspects whose reports were pending be strictly quarantined at home. He directed the authorities to ensure that this was strictly implemented by conducting regular checks. The district magistrate were directed to cross-check this themselves. In order to prevent crowding of shops as well as to ensure availability of essential items, the district authorities were directed to strengthen home delivery arrangements in districts. They were also told to implement the mandatory compliance in respect of social distancing. The Chief Minister said that if required, a 500-bed Pre-Fab Corona Hospital could be set up in Dehradun and Haldwani, for which the concerned DMs ought to identify 5 acres of land. Chief Secretary Utpal Kumar Singh, DGP Anil Kumar Raturi, Secretary AmitNegi, other senior government officials, District Magistrate and other officials were present in the meeting.
