Section 144 to be imposed in Haryana amid sharp rise in COVID cases

Chandigarh: Amid a sharp rise in coronavirus cases, the Haryana government has said that prohibitory orders will be imposed throughout the state.
"Section 144 to be imposed throughout Haryana," a state government release quoting Home and Health Minister Anil Vij said on Tuesday.

Section 144 of the CrPC prohibits the assembly of four or more people and earlier it was imposed in a few districts in the state, including Gurgaon, Faridabad, Hisar, Panchkula and Sonipat.

In the current month, Haryana has registered a sharp surge in COVID cases, while the viral infection-related deaths too have witnessed a rise.

On Tuesday, the state recorded the biggest single-day jump in deaths and cases as 84 fatalities took the cumulative toll in the state to 3,926, while 11,931 fresh infections pushed the total count to 4,47,754.

The restrictions which are already in place to contain the spread of infection include daily night curfew in the state, curtailed timings for closure of shops, barring those dealing in essentials, besides restrictions on the number of people allowed for indoor and outdoor gatherings.

Vij sought by Thursday details from all deputy commissioners regarding oxygen beds, oxygen storage capacity and other requirements, including ventilators in all private and government hospitals of their districts.

The minister, who was presiding over a meeting of the state-level COVID monitoring committee and with deputy commissioners through videoconference, said that every coronavirus patient in the state has to be saved.

"For this, every necessary arrangement will be made," he said according to the release.

He directed the DCs to ensure arrangements for funeral to be conducted on the same day for those who lose their lives to coronavirus while observing all COVID-related protocol.

The health minister asked the deputy commissioners to set up district-level COVID monitoring committees with secretaries of various departments, including District Legal Services Authority, as their members.

He directed all civil surgeons to arrange for consultation of patients undergoing home isolation in their area every second day and make medicines, AYUSH kits and other necessary materials available to them.

Along with this, numbers and names of doctors should be published so that patients in home isolation can regularly consult them, he said.

Vij directed all deputy commissioners and superintendents of police to maintain security in all private and government hospitals.

Along with this, the deputy commissioners have been asked to increase bed capacity at hospitals or other places in their districts so that no patient is denied treatment. He said critical corona care centres are being set up in all government medical colleges in the state.

The minister asked the deputy commissioners to collect empty oxygen cylinders from all industries in their areas so that maximum oxygen can be stored and added that the gas will also be sourced from abroad to meet the needs of COVID patients of the state.

Haryana Chief Secretary Vijai Vardhan directed the deputy commissioners to strictly follow COVID-19 protocols in micro-containment zones. He said that DCs and other administrative officers should make necessary arrangements after taking stock of the situation.

Additional Chief Secretary (Health Department) Rajiv Arora said that medical oxygen licenses will be made available in 24 hours to industries in the districts and they should apply for it early.

The number of ventilators in state government hospitals has been increased from 94 to 141. Rules for admission and discharge of COVID patients to hospitals will also be issued soon, he said.

Financial Commissioner (Revenue and Disaster Management) Sanjeev Kaushal took stock of COVID preparation from all deputy commissioners and asked for the immediate release of the required budget.