Government to stamp ID marks on those quarantined

The government is intensifying its fight against COVID19 pandemic with Public Health Minister Rajesh Tope saying those who have been quarantined at home will be stamped with an identification mark on their left arm so that they can be located easilyThe minister said travellers from other countries will be classified into three groups ndash A B and C with A being a person showing symptoms will be isolated B being seniors with diabetes and hypertension quarantined for 14 days and C being those quarantined at home Such people will bear an identity mark like the one marked during election polling Local police personnel have been asked to keep tabs on those in home quarantine said the ministerTope said the state government has added three more countries ndash Dubai UAE Saudi Arabia and the USA to its list for screening of people with travel history These travellers will be quarantined compulsorily He said the administration has been asked to provide television sets carrom boards and healthy at quarantine facilitiesTo help mitigate the virus scare divisional HQs will be given financial assistance immediately Konkan and Pune divisions will be given R15 crore each while Nagpur Amravati Aurangabad and Nasik will be granted R5 crore each in the first instalmentReligious celebrations such as mass yatras and jamborees have been cancelled as the states patient count went up on Monday Only shops selling essential commodities and pharmacies were allowed to run Restaurants and hotels have not been shut but people have been advised to stay away from any crowded placeThe state government on Monday announced closing down of schools and colleges in rural areas too along with shutting discotheques and pubs across Mumbai The government has also barred visitors at administrative headquarters Mantralaya postponed local body elections by three months and put off university examinations till March 31 even as board examinations were allowed to continue Assembly at public places has been barred in Mumbai and other placesStudents have also been told to vacate hostels and not return before March 31 while teachers have been told to work from home The situation will be reviewed on March 26What about Mantralaya employeesFrom Monday the state administration restricted visitors in the Mantralaya and placed a screening mechanism at entry points for those who must visit the state HQ with prior permission from the host However the diktat evoked a strong reaction from the employees union which said the government hadnt thought much about the thousands of employees who travel to Mantralaya and several other government and semigovernment offices from suburbs and places like Pune and Raigad districtA notification said that the ministers can meet not more than 10 outsiders every day and bureaucrats are allowed to meet only fiveThese visitors will have to undergo a mandatory airportlike thermalscreening at the entry point The offices of the hosts have been asked to inform the security incharge through letters about their visitors Officials from other offices have been barred from entering Mantralaya and the ministers and babus told to hold meetings if need be but advised against inviting private persons An outpost has been created to receive daily mail and documents from other officesSubhash Gangurde general secretary of the state employees apex federation of unions expressed serious concern about fellow employees who travel long distances in unsafe conditionsThe visitors surely pose a threat but the thousands of state and private employees also fall in the same category when they are exposed to each other during travel Weunderstand that the government offices cannot stop working in times of such an emergency and impending disaster but we demand that the government should also think of doing something about us he said adding that the apex federation would discuss the issue with the administrative bossesTraveller categoriesThose coming from affected countries Person showing symptoms will be isolated Seniors with diabetes and hypertension to be quarantined for 14 days Nosymptom travellers to be quarantined at homeCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates