This State Govt mulls new Pandemic Law to penalise violators

The state health department is planning a legislation to punish individuals and institutions violating golden rules of the pandemic – not wearing a mask, not adhering to social distancing norms in work places or at events such as marriages and funerals.

An ordinance planned under The Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, plans to make offences compoundable and violators will have to pay a fine, which will be higher than what is prescribed in the existing Tamil Nadu Public Health Act, 1939, officials said. The proposal, which is now with the law department, will be sent to the governor’s office in a few days.

The proposed law will give public health officials and authorities the power to prescribe offenses which are not covered under the present legislation and help them notify specifics. For instance, the rules will prescribe types of violations within the workspace or while organising an event.

With the state moving closer to opening up hospitality, entertainment, sports and recreation sectors, public health experts and doctors made a fervid appeal to involve people to stop the spread of the viral infection. “No matter how many people we test and isolate, we will not be able to stop the spread if there is no community involvement. We still see many people without masks. Some walk to the store with a mask, and remove it while they enter the store or while talking to someone,” said health secretary J Radhakrishnan.

In the past few weeks, officials have found people attending office with symptoms of Covid-19, leading to cluster at work places. Social distancing norms are violated during lunch hours and tea time or while they travel together in the company vehicle. In apartment complexes, residents organised get-togethers violating pandemic rules.

“All this could have been avoided. We are now seeing an increase in cases in Chennai because of these violations,” he said.

Sources did not specify fines the government will levy for each offence, but said it will cut down on the existing “roundabout ways”.

“We don’t have to issue showcause notices. The fines will be a few hundreds and the aim is to discourage people from violating pandemic rules,” said a senior public health official.
 

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