Coronavirus threat: Punjab cabinet for effectively implementing precautionary steps

In the wake of situation arising out due to the presence of coronavirus in neighbouring countries, the Punjab Cabinet in its 26th meeting, held here on Tuesday with Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar in the chair, decided to effectively implement necessary precautionary measures.

The chief minister directed the line departments to remain vigilant and the meeting was informed that additional staff of the health department will be posted at airports. "There should be no shortage of eatables being imported from neighbouring countries, especially China and Iran," he said. He directed Industries Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal to hold a meeting and adopt advance measures after a detailed review.

Addressing the meeting, Sardar Usman Buzdar said the Punjab government adopted unprecedented measures with consultation to serve the people and the wrong culture of the one-man show has been done away with. The decisions made with consultations are yielding positive results and the government will go to every extent to provide relief to the people, he said, adding: "The timely decisions have helped in overcoming price hike and the political, as well as administrative teams, should efficiently work to control prices because people cannot be left alone."

The Punjab Cabinet also decided to amend Sections 2(S), 21 and 38 of Punjab Wildlife (Protection, Preservation, Conservation & Management) Amendment Act, 2007 to increase the amount of fines and sentences for illegal hunting in the province. It was also decided that fines and sentences will be further enhanced for poaching before hunting season to be started from November 01, 2020.

The Cabinet meeting decided to grant permission for the hunting of 62 surplus blackbucks, 21 Chinkara deer and 27 blue bull (Nilgai) in Cholistan desert. The Punjab Occupational Safety & Health Amendment Health, 2019 was approved while amendment in Punjab Fisheries Rules, 1965 was deferred.

The chief minister said that complaints of contaminated water have arisen due to fish farming in dams that also provide potable water. Therefore, this matter should be reviewed in detail by health, irrigation, public health engineering departments and other stakeholders and final recommendations should be presented in the next meeting, he said.

The provincial ministers, advisors, special assistants, the chief secretary and secretaries concerned attended the meeting.