Corona crisis management body formed to monitor situation

Punjab Chief Secretary Azam Suleman Khan has set up Corona Crisis Management Committee to monitor overall situation of COVID-19, demand and supply of essential commodities (especially medicines and food items) and check hoarding in the province.

The decision to form the committee was taken at a high-level meeting presided over by the chief secretary. Administrative secretaries of health and other relevant departments, commissioner Lahore division attended the meeting whereas divisional commissioners and regional police officers joined the meeting through a video link.

The chief secretary said that in the prevailing situation, it is prime responsibility of the government to protect lives of people and ensure availability of essential items to them.

He asked the administrative officers to take stern action against the persons involved in hoarding and profiteering of eatables, face masks and sanitisers. He gave orders for strict implementation of directions issued by federal and Punjab governments to prevent coronavirus.

The Corona Crisis Management Committee comprising nine members would work under the headship of Special Secretary Home Department Iqbal Hussain. As per direction of the chief secretary, the committee would hold meeting daily at 11am and monitor overall situation of COVID-19 in the province. It would also oversee the demand and supply of essential commodities (particularly medicines and food items, besides acting against hoarding. The committee would ensure implementation of section 144 imposed to enforce anti-virus measures in the province. It would also present its report to the chief secretary on daily basis regarding patients in quarantine, isolation centres and high dependency units established in hospitals.