Non-essential services suspended across states
nNEW DELHI: Several state governments, including Delhi, have suspended non-essential services to prevent community transmission of Covid-19.
The essential services include all utilities such as power, sanitation and water, ports, airports, hospitals, banks, refineries, supply of food and other services, including media. Considering an increase in Covid-19 cass, essential services are being regulated by the government by invoking rules under the colonial era, Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897.
Some states such as Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Himachal have banned inter-state bus services and the frequency of metro trains in Delhi and Jaipur has been reduced. In Ladakh, travel to virus hit Kargil region, which has 10 positive cases so far, by air or through land has been banned till further orders.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday announced suspension of all non-essential services of government and municipal corporations till March 31.
Kejriwal said employees who are above 55 years of age, except those engaged in essential services — like doctors — shall preferably be given work from home permit by the departments.
In the revenue department, 23 non-essential services will be closed till end of March. All Delhi Jal Board services will remain open, except on Sunday (March 22). In the power sector, all employees essential to run services have been asked to report to work. The PWD office will be functioning, since it has to provide for creating quarantine facilities. “The transport department, services such as issuing a learner’s license will not be provided,” said transport minister Kailash Gahlot.
The order also stated that no station leaves will be provided during the period, unless extremely necessary in which case approval of the department head will be required.
The Delhi legislative assembly’s Budget session will, however, start from Monday and only employees needed to run the house and involved in the making of the 2020-21 Budget will report to work, an order said.