Haryana’s borders with Delhi ‘sealed’, essential services allowed: Anil Vij

Haryana’s borders with Delhi have been “sealed” with essential services allowed but stricter restrictions imposed on those coming in from the national capital, state Home Minister Anil Vij said on Tuesday.

Haryana will be in a “comfortable position” as far as COVID-19 cases are concerned if the borders stay sealed for 15-20 days, Vij, who is also the health minister of Haryana, added.

The towns of Gurgaon and Faridabad abut the national capital and form part of the National Capital Region.

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”The state’s borders have been sealed… Essential services will be allowed. If all the borders of Haryana stay sealed for 15-20 days, the state will be in comfortable situation (in terms of coronavirus threat),” Vij told PTI.

Essential services and people connected with them will be allowed to cross the borders in accordance with the Union Home Ministry guidelines, he explained.

Following the lockdown on March 25, the state government had already put in place restrictions to cross the border with vehicles and people being checked.

“The restrictions will be stricter,” he said.

“Mostly those people who work in Delhi and stay in Haryana are getting infected, and also those who come into contact with them. And the cases are rising in Haryana because of them,” Vij said.

He said the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government should make “proper arrangements” for lodging employees of the Delhi government who work in the national capital but stay in Haryana.

“It is the responsibility of the Delhi government to make arrangements for their stay and food and also test them and if they are positive, find a cure for them,” he said.

The same holds true for Haryana government employees coming here from the neighbouring state to work, he said. "It is our responsibility to make necessary arrangements for their lodging and food."  

Asked whether the lockdown should be lifted on May 3, he said his personal view was that it should be extended.

The minister also underscored that the COVID-19 situation in the state is under control in the state, which has the country’s highest recovery rate of more than 71 per cent.

Vij who holds the portfolios of health, home and local bodies, which are at frontline in the battle against the pandemic, said, "I salute all the workers of these departments." 

Nuh with 57 COVID-19 cases, Gurgaon with 51, Faridabad with 46, Palwal with 34 and Sonipat with 22 are the worst affected districts in Haryana.

Of these, Gurgaon, Faridabad and Sonipat border Delhi while the other are two are in its vicinity.

According to the Union Health ministry on Tuesday, Haryana has reported 296 cases and three fatalities. Of the 296, 183 have been cured/discharged/migrated.