Mask, Covid test for MPs attending Parliament

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 31

Ensuring that Members of Parliament remain safe while attending the monsoon session, all MPs will have to undertake the Covid-19 test, wear facemask even while speaking in the House and use of air conditioners will be rotated every six hours to avoid the spread of infection.

Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu today reviewed preparations ahead of the session, likely to start from September 14, with Union Secretaries of Home and Health, Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research and the Chief of Defence Research Development Organisation.

After discussions, Chairman Naidu noted all MPs should get tested for Covid-19 both in their own interest and of fellow members. It was also felt that family members and personnel staff, including drivers of members of the Rajya Sabha, should also get tested for Covid-19 to avoid any risk of possible infection.

All employees and staff of the secretariat, including security personnel and mediapersons covering the proceedings of the House, should also get tested. This applies to personal staff of ministers as well. The ICMR will make necessary arrangements for testing of all, as required.

Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla suggested that MPs get tested within 72 hours of the commencement of the Session and those coming from different parts of the country wait for the results before undertaking travel.

With different states have separate quarantine requirements, the Home Secretary assured the Chairman that the matter would be taken up with states/UTs to enable travel of MPs without any difficulty and on return from attending the session.

ICMR Chief Balaram Bhargava clarified it was absolutely safe to wear a mask continuously for 12 hours. He suggested that MPs may speak sitting and keep the mask even while speaking to avoid dispersal of aerosols. Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan suggested the movement of MPs in the chambers of both Houses be made unidirectional to avoid face-to-face interaction.

DRDO Secretary Satish Reddy said the organisation would provide ultraviolet boxes to sanitise parliamentary papers to be handled by the Chairman and MPs, sanitise footwear, cars to be used by the MPs and multi-utility Covid kits for all MPs.