Staff Reporter / New Delhi
Ahead of the forthcoming Budget Session, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla conducted an inspection of various facilities in the Parliament House Complex. He visited the Lok Sabha Chamber, Central Hall, corridors, lobbies, waiting rooms and other areas in the Parliament House with officers of the Lok Sabha Secretariat, CPWD, and other agencies.
Emphasizing that utmost standards of sanitization and fumigation may be made during the Session, Mr Birla directed that in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, all agencies should work in unison to contain the possibility of infection. As the wearing of masks, use of sanitizers and sanitization of all the places during the Session period is mandatory, adequate supply of qualitatively superior masks, sanitizers and other precautionary equipments and materials must be ensured in the Parliament House Complex, he added.
Birla also gave directions towards ensuring health precautions as per the COVID-19 protocols and directed that adequate testing centers for Members of Parliament may be set up in Parliament House Complex as well as at North and South Blocks, Pandara Road, B.D. Marg and other such areas which are close to the accommodations of Members of Parliament. He also directed that all officials of the two Secretariats and officials of Ministries who are required to visit the Complex during the Session, may also be extended the facility of RT-PCR and Rapid Antigen tests in the Complex. Similarly, all employees and workers involved in the construction of New Parliament Building may also be tested.
During the inspection, Mr Birla was informed that a modified parking plan has been put in place for Members of Parliament during the Session in view of the construction of the New Parliament Building. Mr Birla directed that MPs should be informed on WhatsApp and also telephonically about these parking arrangements and vehicular movement in and around the Parliament House Complex well in advance so as to ensure their smooth movement. He further directed that suitable maps relating to the modified parking arrangements must be shared with all Members.
While inspecting the catering facilities run by ITDC in Parliament House, Mr Birla gave necessary instructions to the agencies concerned towards provision of clean, hygienic and nutritious food to Members of Parliament, media, officials of the two Secretariats and other visitors. He also directed them to ensure that utmost priority is given to regular sanitization and fumigation of areas which are used for catering facilities.
He further took stock of the security arrangements in the Parliament House Complex and directed the concerned officials to ensure unhindered access to Members of Parliament.
Referring to the construction of the new Parliament Building, Mr Birla instructed all concerned agencies to strictly adhere to pollution control and green building norms and ensure that the construction did not hamper the smooth running of parliamentary business during the Session. He further directed that smog towers and necessary equipments for checking air and noise pollution may be installed at the site.
