on Mar 30, 2022)With Covid cases and casualties on the wane, Maharashtra may revoke the Disaster Management Act, 2005, as advised by the Centre. According to a TOI report, a final order is likely before March 31 after discussions with the chief minister and task force members.
Since many curbs such as mandatory masking and social distancing were backed by the law at the pain of penalty, they are likely to become advisories once the law is lifted. Maharashtra is also considering doing away with the requirement of vaccination as a criterion for relaxing Covid curbs, which means complete vaccination will no longer be mandatory for using public transport or entry to public places like malls, theatres, parks, beaches in the state.
“Although we are considering doing away with the Disaster Management Act, we are telling the public they should continue with the precautions,” said a senior official. Awareness campaigns on vaccination and masking will continue.
On Tuesday, the state executive committee (SEC) of the state disaster management authority (SDMA) headed by the chief secretary decided to further relax Covid curbs across the state. Officials said so far, only 14 districts with double vaccination coverage of 70% and single dose above 90% were allowed to open up. “We plan to allow all districts to open up as per the pre-Covid norms,” said an official.
Many Covid restrictions like regulating prices of medicines, hospitals costs were enforced using the Epidemic Act, 1897, and they will continue. Other curbs and penalties for violation were largely controlled by the Disaster Management Act.
The SEC, said the official, took the view that with the cases declining, the restrictions have to be completely done away with. The restrictions can always be brought back if cases surge.
For all the latest world News Click Here
