Public gatherings: Deputy Commissioner warns of violators

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 14

Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma said today that national directives for Covid-19 management guidelines, standard operating procedures (SOP) and advisories issued by the government should be strictly followed and any violation will invite criminal proceedings under relevant provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, and the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The Deputy Commissioner said mandatory FIRs would be filed against those found violating curbs on public gatherings, which now stand strictly disallowed.

He said joint teams of the police and the civil administration would strictly enforce the restrictions on social gatherings (restricted to five under section 144 imposed in all districts) as well as weddings and social functions.

The directives

• A complete bar on all public gatherings, while restricting social gatherings to five and marriage/other social functions to 30, instead of current 50 and 20 for funerals.
• Management of marriage palaces/hotels will be held responsible and face suspension of licence in case of violation of norms.
• Marriage palaces, hotels and other commercial spaces will have to certify that adequate arrangements for ventilation of indoor spaces have been made.
• Wearing of masks has been made compulsory at work places/offices/closed places, as per new guidelines.
• Strict enforcement of Health Department advisory on AC and ventilation/air circulation.
• Public dealing in offices has been curtailed to cater to need-based and urgent issues.
• There shall be no physical presentation of demand charters by associations or federations and serving of tea has to be avoided during physical meetings, as per the revised management and containment strategy for Covid.

MC told to carry out sanitation drive

To check the spread of dengue/vector-borne diseases, the Ludhiana MC Commissioner has been directed to carry out a sanitation drive in Ludhiana city, while BDPOs, EOs, nagar councils and nagar panchayats would undertake the sanitation drive in rural and urban areas in the district.

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