LUCKNOW: In order to provide legal protection to Corona Warriors, the Yogi Adityanath government has brought a stringent law by amending the existing Epidemic Act 1897. The proposal in this connection was approved by the state cabinet here on Wednesday.
As per Principal Secretary, health, Amit Mohan Prasad, Uttar Pradesh Public Health and Epidemic Disease Control Ordinance-2020 provides for punishment ranging from six months to seven years and a penalty ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh on assault or misbehavior with corona warriors including health workers, paramedical personnel, police personnel, sanitation workers as well as any corona warrior deployed by the government.
The principal secretary said that the new ordinance had the provision of strong action against those who indulge in spitting on corona warriors, throwing filth at them besides violating the isolation norms during the quarantine period.
He added that it recommended action against those who incited people to attack or misbehave with the Corona warriors. To tame such elements, it had the provision of imprisonment for two to five years and a penalty ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh.
Defining the provisions pertaining to the punishment for escaping quarantine facility or the hospital under the ordinance, accused would be liable to get a jail term amounting to 1-3 years and the fine ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs one lakh.
It has the provision of a jail term up to three years for passing indecent comments or indulging in obscenity targeted at any corona warrior. This provision also spells out a penalty ranging from Rs 50 thousand to Rs one lakh to be slapped on the offender.
Under the ordinance, any bid by anyone to spread this disease or prompting someone to spread it deliberately would attract harsh punishment in the form of a life sentence.
Moreover, to translate the impact to the ground, the state government has decided to set up two authorities for the prevention and treatment of the corona. A state epidemic control authority will be formed under the headship of UP CM along with seven other members including the Chief Secretary. Apart from this, a second three-member District Epidemic Control Authority will also be formed to be headed by respective district magistrates.
While the state authority will advise the government in matters related to epidemic prevention control, the district authority will coordinate the activities of various departments at the district level.
Ordinance at a glance: