The Centre on Wednesday asked the states and Union Territories to launch on a “war footing” the contact tracing of all participants of the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi’s Nizamuddin, which has emerged as the “coronavirus hotspot”.
In a video conference with chief secretaries and DGPs of allstates and Union Territories (UTs), Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba also askedthem to take action against foreigners, who have participated in the missionaryactivities of the Tablighi Jamaat, for violation of visa conditions.
During the meeting, the states and UTs were sensitised aboutthe intensive contact tracing of Tablighi Jamat participants as this hasincreased the risk of containment efforts of COVID-19 in the country.
“The states were asked to complete the contact tracingprocess on a war footing,” an official statement said.
The chief secretaries and DGPs were told that it has beenfound that foreigners who had participated in the Tablighi Jamaat had violatedvisa conditions.
“The states were asked to initiate action for violationof visa conditions against the foreigners and the organisers of theevent,” the statement said.
More than 2,300 Tablighi Jamaat activists were found to beliving at the organisation’s headquarters at Nizamuddin Markaz and they wereevicted from the premises in last three days.
As many as 617 of them were hospitalised for showingCOVID-19 symptoms, while the rest were placed under quarantine.
The Ministry of Home Affairs had on Tuesday said as on March21, approximately 824 foreigners, were staying at Tablighi Jamaat branches indifferent parts of the country.
Out of them, 216 were staying at Nizamuddin Markaz. Most ofthese foreigners came to India on tourist visa, which prohibits involvement ofany religious activities.
One person each from Jammu and Kashmir and Telangana, whosuccumbed to the infection, had also attended the congregation.
It is estimated that several hundred Indians, who attendedthe congregation of the Tablighi Jamaat at Nizamuddin in March had returned totheir respective states and UTs — about 20 — raising fear that they could bethe potential carrier of the infection.
Gauba also asked the states to implement the PM Garib KalyanYojana within next week. Under the scheme, the central government plans todisburse Rs 27,500 crore to beneficiaries through banks.
“This will involve large cash transfer tobeneficiaries. It should be organised in a staggered manner to ensure socialdistancing,” the statement said.
The meeting noted that lockdown is being implementedeffectively all over the country.
The states were also asked to ensure that intra-statemovement of goods is allowed without any hindrance while maintaining socialdistancing.
The manufacturing of essential goods should be ensured. Itshould also be ensured that the supply chains of such goods are maintained, thestatement added.
Most in JK traced, being sent to quarantine
Meanwhile, Director General of Police, J&K, DilbagSingh, said Wednesday that most people in Jammu and Kashmir who attended theTablighi Jamaat religious congregation held at Nizamuddin in Delhi have beentraced and will be sent to quarantine.
“We have traced almost all those who attended theTablighi Jamaat event held in Delhi. They will be sent to quarantine by healthauthorities,” Singh told reporters during a visit to Kathua to review thearrangements at the Ladakhpur inter-state border check post.
He, however, did not disclose the number of such people whohave been identified in the Union Territory.
“They had come from there (Nizamuddin, Delhi), were intheir homes here and did not share with authorities and did not inform us. Theentire chain is being traced. Police and other personnel are working round theclock to trace the contacts of those who had attended the Tablighi event andcome to the UT,” he added.
A divisional level officer in Jammu also said most of thesepeople have been traced and many of them have been sent to quarantine.
As per available information, 10 of them have been sent toquarantine in Jammu, seven in Kathua and 10 in Udhampur.TheDGP said there was increase in the number of positive COVID-19 cases in the UTbecause people who returned from outside did not disclose their travel history.