SHIMLA: Over 1,300 people stranded in Chandigarh have been brought back on government buses to their native places in Himachal Pradesh on Sunday, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said.
The Chief Minister stated this during video conferencing from Shimla with deputy commissioners, superintendents of police and chief medical officers.
Amidst viral videos of social distancing norms being violated while boarding buses at Himachal Bhawan in Chandigarh on Sunday morning, Thakur directed all DCs, SPs and CMOs to ensure home quarantine for all the returnees to the state to check the spread of coronavirus.
The CM said Himachal Pradesh would soon become coronavirus-free with relentless efforts of the state government and active cooperation of people.
Downloading Aarogya Setu app for the people entering the state should be ensured, he added.
Thakur said it would be the responsibility of the elected representatives of the Panchayati Raj Institutions and urban local bodies to ensure that those entering their areas do not jump home quarantine.
The people coming home particularly from red or orange zones must ensure distance of at least six feet from other family members during home quarantine for their safety, he said.
As many as 1,314 persons stranded in Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali (collectively known as tri-city area) returned to HP in 51 Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) buses, Thakur said.
They include 609 people of Kangra district, 335 of Hamirpur district, 132 of Una district and 238 of Chamba district.
Thakur said people from other HP districts stranded in the tri-city area would be brought back on Monday.
Stating that all possible efforts will be made soon to bring back people stranded in others parts to HP, he urged those who returned to their native places to strictly follow home quarantine norms.
Meanwhile, the CM's Principal Secretary Sanjay Kundu said liquor shops would remain open during curfew relaxation hours from Monday but bars and ahatas would remain closed.