Himachal Pradesh Assembly's monsoon session begins on Monday under strict COVID-19 guidelines

Photo: https://hpvidhansabha.nic.in/

Shimla: A 12-day monsoon session of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly began here on Monday under strict COVID-19 measures. This is the first session of the assembly after a country-wide coronavirus lockdown came into effect on March 24.

Speaker Vipin Singh Parmar informed the House about the steps taken to check the spread of the disease during the monsoon session.

The ninth session of the 13th assembly started at 2 pm. It will be held till September 18 and will have 10 sittings.

Former chief minister Virbhadra Singh was among the MLAs who were present in the 68-member House.

However, Jal Shakti Minister Mahender Singh Thakur could not attend the session as he tested positive for the coronavirus on September 3. He is being treated at the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC).

The speaker said the assembly complex will be sanitised twice a day during the session.

Six-feet-high transparent polycarbonate sheets have also been installed in the house to maintain distance among the legislators, he added.

Parmar said thermal scanners have been made available at five entrance gates of the Vidhan Sabha and any person with fever would be sent to the dispensary in the assembly complex.

Arrangements have also been made for rapid tests and ambulance, he added.

The legislators will be provided surgical face masks and sanitisers, the speaker said.

Parmar said he has received about 900 questions from legislators to be asked during the session.

As per norms, the assembly session has to be convened at least once in six months, Parmar said.