DIG explains muchawaited regulations
The much-awaited regulations to give teeth to prevention and control measures with specific reference to COVID-19 were gazetted on October 15 by Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi under Sections 2 & 3 of the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance of 1897.
Before giving the regulations in a nutshell, Police Spokesperson Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Ajith Rohana said the Director-General (DG) of Health Services can declare areas as ‘disease localities’ and on March 18, the entire country was considered a ‘disease locality’.
According to the DIG, after 1897, it was in 1925 that a gazette had been published to deal with Ancylostomiasis (hookworm infection). However, all regulations made under that are valid for any quarantinable disease (whether leprosy, plague, smallpox, chickenpox, cholera or dengue), not just hookworm.
He points out certain aspects of the current gazette – one is the mention of a public place.
“We are not talking about the ‘conventional’ public place. You may think public place means the usual railway station, bus stand or fair, but in this gazette, public places include private spaces as well. It means any place which the public has access to, whether as of right or otherwise, whether on payment or not, whether on invitation or not,” he said, stressing that as such, in all these places people have to wear face-masks, carry out hand hygiene and have social distancing.
DIG Rohana said: “There are also instructions in the gazette for factories, offices and other workplaces on limiting the capacity of the workforce, maintaining an updated record of all employees, frequently checking temperature and more.
“Those rendering services such as supermarkets, shops, sales outlets, etc also have instructions such as not exceeding the capacity of people allowed into the premises at a time, having adequate hand-washing facilities and ensuring that standard health guidelines are followed. Meanwhile, the driver, conductor and the owner of a vehicle used for public transport are liable if they do not comply with health guidelines when transporting passengers.
“In terms of Section 37 of the regulation, the DG or ‘proper authority’ can delegate his powers to any other person, and powers have been delegated to the Inspector General of Police.”
Referring to the penalties for those who violate these regulations, the DIG said that the police can arrest and charge a person. The penalty is a fine of Rs. 10,000 and six months rigorous imprisonment (RI). Under the Penal Code anyone who disobeys a quarantine rule can also be subjected to a further six months of imprisonment leading to a year.