‘Guard against laxity’: MHA warns states, UTS
All officers to be held responsible for failing to implement Covid norms; defaulters shall be liable for action: Home secy
NEW DELHI: Taking note of the “blatant violation” of Covid-19 norms across the country, the ministry of home affairs (MHA) on Wednesday directed all states and Union territories to ensure strict enforcement of measures and protocols to “guard ourselves against complacency and laxity, which has crept in as positivity has declined”.
In an advisory to chief secretaries of all states, Union home secretary Ajay Bhalla made it clear that all officers concerned should be personally held responsible for any laxity in implementation of Covid-appropriate behavior.
“If the norms of Covid-19 appropriate behaviour are not maintained at any establishment/premises/markets etc, such places shall be liable for the re-imposition of restrictions, for containing the spread of Covid-19 and the defaulters shall also be liable for action under the relevant laws,” the advisory read.
Bhalla said that people were found violating Covid-19 norms in several parts of the country, especially in public transport and at hill stations. “Massive crowds are also thronging the market places, violating the norms of social distancing,” he said.
The advisory added that the increase in R-factor (reproduction number which indicates the speed at which the infection is spreading) in some states is a matter of concern. “You may be aware that any increase in ‘R’ factor above 1.0 is an indicator of spread of Covid-19,” it said.
Emphasising that the second wave of Covid is not over, the ministry said: “It is emphasized that the second wave of Covid is not yet over. We ought to remember that while the reach of vaccination is increasing considerably, there is no room for complacency and hence, Covidappropriate behaviour must continue in line with our philosophy of ‘dawai bhi kadai bhi (yes to medicine and yes to caution)’.” “Testing needs to be continued with the same vigor, as adequate testing is extremely essential in terms of checking the virus and early identification of cases,” it added.
The home ministry’s advisory came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with chief ministers of northeastern states and expressed concerns over the rush of tourists at popular destinations and less usage of masks. “We often hear the argument that we must enjoy before a third wave hits. People must understand that the third wave will not arrive on its own,” Modi said. The Union health ministry has already warned people against complacency in the country’s fight against Covid-19, citing a spike in tourism across hill stations in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand in recent weeks to say that this “behaviour” can be an “invitation for the virus” to spread.
“I would also advise that orders issued by the respective state governments and UT administrations and district authorities in this regard should be widely disseminated to the public and to the field functionaries, for their proper implementation,” he said.