New Delhi: In a major decision to protect millions of doctors, nurses and other paramedic staff engaged at the forefront of war against the outbreak of novel coronavirus, the Union cabinet has decided to bring an ordinance to penalise the offenders and recover the damages from them.
The stringent law proposes imprisonment up to seven years in case of grave offences and a fine of up to Rs. 5 lakh.
“Today, the Union cabinet met in the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and decided to promulgate an ordinance to amend the epidemic disease act of 1897,” said Prakash Javadekar, union minister for information and broadcasting.
The ordinance will make any attack or harassment against doctors, health workers up to the level of ASHA workers a cognisable and non-bailable offence with the provision for imprisonment and recovery of damages from offenders.
“Under the law, investigation will be completed within 30 days, it will be done by an inspector level officer and the trial will be complete within one year,” said the minister.
He said there is provision of imprisonment, from 3 months to five years, and in case of grave offences, the imprisonment term will extend from 6 months to 7 year.
In addition to imprisonment, the provision of fine is also there in the proposed ordinance.
For less serious offences, there will be a fine of Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh and for grave offences, the fine will be from Rs 1 lakh to 5 lakh.
Similarly, the government will also recover damages from the offenders for causing any damage to property or vehicles of doctors and health workers.
“The compensation that will be recovered from offenders will be twice the market value of the damaged property or vehicle,” Prakash Javadekar said.
The minister said the message is clear: “Attacks on doctors and health workers will not be tolerated at any cost.”
“Covid is a serious threat before the society, and now such a system will be established that there will not be any problems for doctors and health workers,” observed the minister.
