NEW DELHI: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday issued guidelines for implementation of the countrywide strict shut down for the next 21 days to curb the spread of coronavirus pandemic. The government released a complete list of establishments that will be shut and specified “essential services” such as healthcare, public utilities, police and media that will operate during the lockdown.
The government invoked special powers under section 6 (2) (i) of the National Disaster Management Act to ensure that all states and UTs follow the Centre’s directive on the shutdown uniformly, saying “stringent” actions” were the need of the hour. The implementation of the lockdown will be monitored by MHA on a daily basis, the government said.
The Act calls for the establishment of National Disaster Management Authority with the Prime Minister of India as chairperson. The NDMA is responsible for “laying down the policies, plans and guidelines for disaster management” and to ensure “timely and effective response to the disaster”. Principal secretary Nipendra Mishra, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, Union Home Secretary AK Bhalla spoke to state chief secretaries and DGPs to chalk out the functional aspect of the lockdown.
To implement the measures, the district magistrate will deploy executive magistrates as “Incident Commanders” in respective local jurisdictions and people violating the instructions will be liable for punishment under various provisions of the Disaster Management Act and section 188 of the Indian Penal Code—which entails a punishment of up to two years and six months respectively.
Not letting government employees do their duties, raising a false claim for assistance, misappropriation of money or materials to be used for relief, circulating a false alarm will be punished under the
provisions. Public servants, government departments and companies will also be liable for wrongdoings during the lockdown.