Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced that the benefit of life cover of Rs 50 lakh against COVID-19 announced by the Government of India will be given to all doctors, nurses.
Haryana’s Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Vijai Vardhan Thursday said the state government has adopted a “zero tolerance” approach in cases of attacks on health workers.
On Wednesday, five people were arrested by Faridabad police for allegedly beating up an Asha worker the previous day while she was conducting a door-to-door coronavirus survey on behalf of the district administration.
Adhering to the directions of the central government of stringent punishment and hefty fine against those attacking health workers and others on field on the frontlines against the COVID-19, the Haryana government designated the deputy inspector general of police, law and order as the state nodal officer (SNO) and all police commissioners, superintendents of police as district nodal officers (DNO) for implementation of the Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020.
“As per the Ordinance, any act of committing or abetment of violence by any person against any healthcare person serving during an epidemic or any act of abetment or causing damage or loss to any property during an epidemic has been made a cognisable and non-bailable offence punishable under the said ordinance,” said ACS (Home) Vijai Vardhan.
“The Centre has amended the Epidemic Act under which violators would be liable to serve imprisonment for a term which would not be less than six months and may extend upto a period of seven years and with a penalty of anywhere between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 5 lakh,” Vardhan added.
‘Unauthorised entry in any mandi will be dealt with sternly’
A day after opposition leaders including INLD’s Abhay Chautala and Congress leader Randeep Surjewala visited various mandis, Haryana DGP Manoj Yadava on Thursday issued instructions to all district superintendents of police to not allow entry of any unauthorised persons in any mandi.
In the ongoing season of crop procurement in the state, only farmers, arhtiyas and support staff carrying a special gate pass are allowed into mandis.
District police chiefs (commissioners and superintendents) have been directed to take strict legal action against all those found violating lockdown protocol in state’s mandis by way of unnecessary gathering during current procurement season,” said the DGP in a written communication to all CPs and SPs.
“Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij has also taken cognisance of recent reports to this effect and directed the police to take strict action against violators as the department concerned has been calling only a limited numbers of farmers or arhtiyas each day via SMS/email/phone. It has been observed that recently, some political and other gatherings have been taking place in mandis and other procurement centers to take stock of the procurement process of wheat and mustard, which is a clear violation of Union Ministry of Home Affairs order/guidelines,” the DGP added.
Rs 50 lakh insurance cover for health workers
Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced that the benefit of life cover of Rs 50 lakh against COVID-19 announced by the Government of India will be given to all doctors, nurses and group C and group D employees posted in Covid isolation wards, Covid ICU and Covid OTs.
Rs 10 lakh insurance cover for employees, media
Khattar announced a life insurance cover of Rs 10 lakh for various employees including ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, police personnel and sanitation workers who are working in containment zones and for all accredited and recognised journalists in Haryana, upto June 30, 2020. The insurance cover of same amount shall also be given to all registered farmers, arhtiyas, labourers and employees of all procurement agencies engaged in the procurement in mandis, till June 30.
CM defers payment of outstanding dues till May 15
Khattar announced extension of deferment in payment of all outstanding dues as on March 15, 2020 and thereafter towards all departments, boards, corporations and authorities till May 15, 2020. He also announced a 50 per cent waiver of interest on all such dues and waiver of rent on buildings and shops belonging to the government, panchayati raj institutions and urban local bodies for this period, 25 per cent waiver of fixed charges for industrial and commercial electricity consumers, treatment of this period as frozen period in all government contracts.
Haryana sends buses to bring back students from Kota
State Transport Minister Mool Chand Sharma on Thursday said that the state government has sent 31 state transport buses to bring back around 858 students of Haryana who are stuck in Rajasthan’s Kota.