–Punjab govt says 47 govt depts to remain operational during lockdown period
–Also allows construction industries, books and stationery shops, electricians, tailors, mechanics and barbers etc to resume operations
LAHORE: The government of Punjab on Tuesday decided that almost 47 government administrative departments and different private sectors will remain open during the ongoing lockdown which has now been extended for two weeks in view of the rapidly increasing coronavirus cases in the province, especially Lahore.
However, Punjab Chief Secretary Maj (r) Azam Suleman issued a notification, a copy of which has been sent to the principal secretary to the chief minister (PSCM), all divisional commissioners, administrative secretaries, and all deputy commissioners (DC) stating, “The competent authority has desired that the remaining administrative departments to the extent of offices of administrative secretaries and additional chief secretaries where applicable will start functioning from April 15, 2020. The remaining staff will continue to work online as already directed vide notification referred above”.
In this regard, an official of Punjab secretariat shared the list of 43 departments which will remain open during the lockdown.
These departments include Agriculture, Auqaf and Religious Affairs, Board of Revenue, Disaster Management (PDMA), Bait-ul-Maal, Chief Minister’s Inspection Team, Communications and Works, Cooperatives, Energy, Environment Protection, Excise and Taxation, Finance, Food, Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, Governor’s Secretariat, Health, Higher Education, Home, Housing, Urban Development and Public Health Engineering, Human Rights and Minorities Affairs, Industries, Commerce and Investment, Information and Culture, Irrigation, Labour and Human Resource, Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Literacy and Non-formal Basic Education, Livestock and Dairy Development, Local Government and Community Development, Management and Professional Development, Mines and Minerals, Planning and Development, Population Welfare, Public Prosecution, School Education, Services and General Administration, Social Welfare, Special Education, Transport, Women Development, Youth Affairs, Sports, Archeology & Tourism and Zakat and Ushr.
Similarly, law enforcement departments and district administrations will also remain on duty to combat the pandemic.
Interestingly, an official of Civil Secretariat on condition of anonymity said that the secretariat staff was already working in offices.
“Not everyone needs to come to work but now the lower staff, additional secretaries and deputy secretaries will be ordered to come to the office, putting their and others lives at risk. There are no disinfection sprays, hand sanitizers, masks or gloves in the Punjab Civil Secretariat. Most of the administrative secretaries sit in the civil secretariat and this will worsen the situation,” he said.
PRIVATE SECTORS ALLOWED TO WORK:
According to the notification, private sectors that would be allowed to operate during the lockdown include chemical plants, e-commerce for delivery etc, software developing firms, paper packaging firms, cement fertiliser plants, laundry, plant nurseries, agriculture machinery, agriculture products, glass manufacturing, animal hospitals, export industries, books and stationery shops, construction industries, electricians, tailors, mechanics and barbers.
However, all sectors especially the export and construction industries, are directed to strictly follows SOPs provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
