Section 144 Clamped in Cachar to Contain COVID-19

Special Correspondent

Silchar: District administration of Cachar has been constantly monitoring the situation arising out of the global outbreak of COVID-19 and reviewing the precautionary measures being adopted with particular focus on public awareness to contain the spread of the dreaded virus. In order to intensify the fight, the District Magistrate Barnali Sharma has clamped Section 144 CrPc in Cachar on Friday to restrict the assembly of more than two persons at street side vendors’ shops, dealing in various sorts of consumables and also maintain social distancing. Violation of the order which comes into force immediately will attract legal provisions both for vendors and customers.

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation last evening and his appeal to 130 crore people of the country to have ‘Sankalp’ and ‘Sanyam’ (pledge and self-restraint) to keep the virus at bay, besides observing Janata Curfew on March 22, has deep impact on people’s psyche. Modi’s advice to defeat the COVID-19 is now the talk among the cross sections of people. Drivers, maid servants and helpers are being asked to stay at their own homes on coming Sunday.

The district administration of Cachar in official letters to business associations, bazaar committees, shops and management of malls has directed them to reduce the crowd in their premises, maintain social distancing of 1 metre and adopt sanitization and disinfectants for total hygienic conditions. In its dedicated drive against COVID 19, all incoming and outgoing passengers at ISBT and Airport are being screened by medical teams. There has been drastic fall in the movement of passengers, following directive from the Centre and the State to avoid unnecessary journey.

Hailakandi: In view of heavy inflow of visitors from different parts of the country and imminent threat of possible outbreak of dreaded novel Coronavirus COVID-19 following recent such cases in bordering states, the Hailakandi district administration has clamped Section 144 CrPC in the entire district with immediate effect.

An order to this effect was issued by District Magistrate, Keerthi Jalli on Thursday evening. The order stated that any person who have sufficient reasons to believe or suspect that he or she has been infected with COVID-19 or may have come in contact with such a person, then he or she is bound to immediately disclose all requisite information to the surveillance personnel and comply with their directions. Any person refusing to adopt preventive measures or necessary treatment or failing to disclose requisite information will be prosecuted under Section 270 of the IPC 1860 together with breach of order under Section 144 CrPC 1973.

The order further stated that all owners, person-in charge, occupier of any premises vis-a-vis government, semi government, private house, hostels, hotels, inns, guest houses, dharamshalas, home stays and temporary sheds would have to disclose information of such persons believed or suspected of having COVID-19 to the nearest health facility or contact control room numbers 7099252972 (Health department) or 03844-223377/1077 (DDMA).

Chief Executive Officer, Zilla Parishad, Project Director, DRDA, Additional District Magistrates, Sub Divisional Magistrates, Assistant Commissioners, Executive Magistrates, Block Development Officers and Joint Director, Health Services have been authorised to take appropriate action for enforcing the order, it stated.

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