DDMA withdraws orders deploying school teachers on Covid duty at IGI Delhi

A day after facing protests from teachers, the DDMA on Tuesday withdrew its order of deploying government school teachers on Covid-19 duty at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport from December 31 to January 15.

New Delhi:The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Tuesday withdrew its earlier order of deploying school teachers on Covid duty at Delhi airport from December 31 to January 15. The authority said that civil defence staff will be deployed at the airport if needed.

"In partial modification of Order No. F. No.150/Airport Duty/West/604 dated 16.12.2022 and F. No.150/Airport Duty/West/614 dated 26.12.2022, the teachers/ other teaching staff deployed vide above orders are hereby exempted from Airport Duty for the period 31.12.2022 to 15.01.2023 and the said orders stand amended to that extent. Further, in case required, Civil Defence Volunteers from District West may be deputed on Call out Duty basis," the statement reads.

The now withdrawn order was issued by the district magistrate (West) on behalf of the DDMA on Monday. It ordered for several Delhi government school teachers to be stationed at the IGI Airport from December 31 to January 15 to ensure people follow Covid-appropriate behavior. The school teachers had raised questions over the order, raising concerns about their personal safety.

With a sudden increase in cases of Covid-19 in Delhi, the central government has appealed to people to wear their masks and strictly follow safety norms in public places. The Delhi government on Monday directed all public hospitals in the national capital to ramp up preparations and augment supplies in anticipation of rising infections in the coming days.

The authorities began physically visiting all government hospitals in the city to ascertain their preparedness to deal with any eventuality in view of a surge in Covid cases in some countries. Last week, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said though the new Omicron sub-variant BF.7 of the coronavirus, which is causing the surge in cases in some countries, had not been detected in Delhi, his government was fully geared to tackle any eventuality.