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This is an archive article published on April 29, 2020

Chandigarh: 5 new cases in Sector 30-B, residents allege administration failure

Local councillor Devinder Singh Babla said that the screening done by the health department was a complete eyewash.

Chandigarh: 5 new cases in Sector 30-B, residents allege administration failure A resident said that he had written on Twitter to the authorities on April 12 that the curfew was not being followed in Sector 30B in Chandigarh. (Express File Photo by Kamleshwar Singh)

There has been an utter failure of the administration as they did not pay heed to several complaints that curfew was not being taken seriously in Sector 30B, alleged residents and the local councillor after five people were tested positive in the sector.

Local councillor Devinder Singh Babla said that the screening done by the health department was a complete eyewash.

“Even if the area was sealed, residents were roaming freely inside. They were having normal morning and evening walks. The curfew was not being implemented properly. After sealing, even these officers did not go inside to check whether people were roaming freely. This belt has 5,000 people,” he said.

He added, “I pointed out several times that the screening of people is an eyewash. The health department just comes once and asks in the locality of 1,000 people if anyone had cough, fever or other symptoms.”

The councillor said that he enquired from one of the infected persons who said that they had gone to GMCH-32 for a routine check-up on April 12.

A resident who didn’t wish to be quoted said that he had written on Twitter to the authorities on April 12 that the curfew was not being followed. Several other requests were made to the police to patrol the area.

Later in the afternoon, a letter was written to UT Administrator V P Singh Badnore.

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“As you are aware, the way the whole world has been entangled in the pandemic of Covid-19 has literally affected all the states of India and created panic amongst the countrymen. Chandigarh, rightly called as the city beautiful, is also entangled in the pandemic and panic of corona… We need to take concrete measures to break the chain and if this is not controlled or there is an outbreak, then things will be out of control for all of us. Every day new cases are coming up in my ward Sector 30, despite the sealing of the sector done by the Administration,” the letter says.

Hina Rohtaki is a Special Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. She is one of the most prominent journalists covering the Chandigarh Administration, civic issues, and the unique political status of the Union Territory. Professional Background Experience: She has been in the field for over a decade and is known for her investigative reporting on administrative waste and urban governance. Awards: She is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award, which was presented to her by the President of India in January 2020. She was also awarded the Jethmalani prize (The Will of Steel Awards) in 2025 in the Empowerment category for a series of articles that highlighted the struggles of Covid widows. Core Beat: Her primary focus is the Chandigarh administrative structure, the Union Territory's financial management, and urban development projects. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent work highlights a focus on government accountability, administrative expenditures, and civic trends: 1. Investigative & Financial Reporting "Fuelling power: Senior UT IAS officers guzzled petrol worth Rs 30 lakh in 2 yrs" (Dec 14, 2025): An investigative report detailing the high fuel bills of top bureaucrats, including the Finance Secretary and Chief Secretary’s staff. "Admn spends Rs 1.5 crore on dismantling road railings and fixing again after increasing height" (Dec 8, 2025): Highlighting administrative waste on "non-viable" solutions for pedestrian control. "Chandigarh’s finances under ministry’s watch now" (Nov 27, 2025): Reporting on the new requirement for MHA approval for all new projects in the UT. 2. Governance & Constitutional Status "What will it mean for Chandigarh if it is brought under Article 240?" (Nov 24, 2025): An "Explained" piece on the potential constitutional shift that would grant the President more power over the UT's governance. "MP Manish Tewari moves Bill seeking directly elected Mayor with 5-year tenure" (Dec 6, 2025): Covering the legislative push to reform Chandigarh's municipal leadership structure. "No proposal to increase Mayor's term in Chandigarh by 5 years: Centre" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on the Union government's response to demands for a longer mayoral term. 3. Urban Infrastructure & Environment "Chandigarh admn cuts power to India's tallest air purifier, asks firm to dismantle it" (Nov 17, 2025): A critical report on the failure of a high-cost environmental project deemed "of no use" by experts. "UT rethinks 24/7 water supply project as costs soar" (Nov 26, 2025): Detailing the financial challenges and delays in modernizing the city's water network. "Centre 'obfuscating, covering up' MC's shifting deadlines for clearing Dadu Majra dump" (Dec 12, 2025): Reporting on the ongoing controversy surrounding the city's major waste dump. 4. Lifestyle & Local Trends "Chandigarh turns into a Thar city as women fuel the surge" (Dec 2, 2025): A feature on a unique automotive trend in the city, with a record 600 registrations by women drivers this year. "After fivefold spike in 2023, EV sales struggle to pick pace in Chandigarh" (Dec 2, 2025): Analyzing the slowdown in electric vehicle adoption despite previous surges. Signature Beat Hina is known for her meticulous tracking of RTI (Right to Information) data to expose administrative inefficiency. Her "Ground Zero" reporting on the Dadu Majra garbage dump and her scrutiny of the Chandigarh Smart City projects have made her a key figure in the city’s civil society discourse. X (Twitter):  @HinaRohtaki ... Read More

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