At war with Covid-19, Govt gives emergency financial powers to Army commanders

In a bid to bolster the fight against the globally rampaging novel coronavirus outbreak, the Indian government today delegated emergency powers to Army commanders. In this aritcle, senior journalist Sanjib Kr Baruah discusses how Army is gearing up to tackle the prevailing pandemic. At the forefront of the fight, the army has been actively setting up quarantine facilities and isolation wards.

New Delhi: In a major move to bolster the fight against the globally rampaging novel coronavirus Covid-19, the government on Friday delegated emergency powers to Army commanders (General Officer Commanding-in-Charge), Corps and Area Commanders, and Division and Sub-Area Commanders to almost double the money of their usual limits.

At the forefront of the fight, the army has been actively setting up quarantine facilities and isolation wards.The need for enhanced financial powers is immense and very urgent in the likelihood of a spike in the number of the fast-spreading and extremely contagious Covid-19.

The order, issued under "Emergency Powers" of the "Delegation of Financial Powers to Defence Services-2016", says the increased financial powers are for "expediting the procurement and repairs to meet the requirement of establishing and running quarantine facilities and isolation facilities and augmenting these facilities with items, materials, equipment, stores, rations, hygiene, chemicals etc and provision of other services as part of measures for efficient handling of Covid-19 outbreaks out of the defence budget."

The powers have been given to the army commanders under whose jurisdiction the quarantine and isolation facility has been established.

As a result, the General Officer Commanding-in-Charge has been given full powers while the limit has been raised substantially up to Rs 50 lakh for Corps Commander and Area Commanders, while it is Rs 20 lakh for Division Commanders and Sub Area Commanders.

The powers have been delegated for a period of three months which may be revised later depending on the situation.

As of today, (March 27), there are six quarantine facilities at Hindan, Maneshar, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Ghatkopar and Chennai where 1,059 civilian evacuees are housed after being brought in from Italy, Iran and Malaysia. Of these, only three have tested positive so far.

Till now, only one Army soldier from Leh had tested positive for Covid-19.

The Army is also planning to procure more Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits. “Additional procurement is also being planned to tide over crisis foreseen during the coming weeks and months since the Armed Forces have been directed to augment medical resources for the civil health set up also,” said Lt Gen Anup Banerji, DG, Armed Forces Medical Services, in an interaction.

At present, there are five hospitals for the Armed Forces that can carry out Covid-19 tests while six additional hospitals are also being equipped shortly with the resources to begin testing.

On measures to combat the virus in the frontline including the Line of Control, Gen Anup Banerji said: “Isolation wards at peripheral hospitals in these formations have been geared up. Intensive information, education and communication campaigns are going on for serving personnel. Leave extension of those on leave as well as curtailment of leave to bare minimum have been imposed. Segregation facilities have been set up to observe troops already back from leave from various states."