ABP E-Shikhar Sammelan: 'Punjab Corona Outbreak Due To Low Testing Rate, Mismanagement Of Nanded Pilgrims,' Says Sukhbir Badal

Sukhbir Badal said that the testing rate in Punjab is very low - around 200 in a day and that the government has not conducted any random testing.

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New Delhi: Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday blamed the ‘mismanagement’ by the Punjab government for the rapid surge in the number of Coronavirus cases in the state, after the return of pilgrims from Maharashtra’s Nanded. When questioned over SAD’s demand from the Amarinder Singh government of bringing back the pilgrims stuck in Maharashtra’s Nanded during their visit to Hazur Sahib Gurdwara, Badal shiften the onus to CM captain Amarinder Singh and said that it is the duty of any state to ensure safe return of its residents who are stuck elsewhere in India. He said that the testing rate in Punjab is very low - around 200 in a day and that the government has not conducted any random testing. ‘It is the duty of any state government to bring back its residents stranded in other states. Proper arrangements must be made by the government and proper safety protocols should be followed. However, Punjab Government sent the pilgrims coming from Nanded to their homes without testing,’ said Badal  blaming  Captain Amarinder Singh for outbreak of Coronavirus in Punjab. Also Watch: Solution will be found for Bihar students stranded in Kota soon, says  Ravi Shankar Prasad | Shikhar Sammelan As many as 3500 pilgrims were brought back in buses by Punjab government from Maharashtra’s Nanded. With 105 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the State rose to 480, informed the Punjab Health Department in a media bulletin. According to the bulletin, there are 365 active COVID-19 cases in the State. A total of 104 patients have been cured of the infection while 20 others lost their lives. Among the devotees who have returned from Hazur Sahib in Nanded, Maharashtra to Amritsar, around 300 have been tested out of which 76 are COVID-19 positive, said Om Parkash Soni, Punjab Medical Education & Research Minister.