Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij who offered to be the first volunteer for the vaccine trial on Wednesday said that there is no plan for another lockdown or mini lockdowns in NCR districts of the State. He says that there are some localised pockets in NCR districts where transmission is high. Life of people and protection from Covid-19 would go together. The entire focus will now be on enforcement of safety measures like mask wearing and social distancing. People need to follow the rules and Covid-19 protocol to avoid the spread of coronavirus, he added.
Regarding law for ‘Love Jihad’, Vij, who is also Home Minister said that a committee will be constituted to draft this law with an aim to take against any person who is found in religious conversion by pressuring, tempting someone or is involved in any kind of conspiracy or try to do so in the name of love.
The Home Minister further says that with the start of operation of Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) Dial 112 service in the State by December 30, 2020, the emergency police and other services will be available in any area of the State within a span of 15 to 20 minutes.
In an exclusive interview with ‘The Pioneer’, Vij talks about current Covid-19 situation, making law for ‘love jihad’ and steps being taken to check crime cases in the State: Excerpts from the interview:
Today, everyone is curious to know about the Covid-19 vaccine. According to you when it would be available for people?
Right now, there is nothing to say anything regarding Covid-19 vaccine. Human trial with Corona vaccine (covaxin), developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech is being done in 12 health institutes, including Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) in Rohtak. Covaxin- has been developed in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) - National Institute of Virology (NIV) using inactivated Sars-Cov-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. As per information, the Hyderabad-based drug maker is conducting the trial in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The trials of the first and second phase of making the vaccine have been successfully done and now the third trial is commencing. Trial for the third phase of Covaxin, a coronavirus vaccine product of Bharat Biotech will be started in Haryana from November 20. In the third phase, it will be tested on 26000 people across the country while 600 people in Haryana. It is the largest clinical trial conducted for a Covid-19 vaccine in India. I have offered to get myself vaccinated first for Bharat Biotech’s Covid vaccine Covaxin.
State Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya is now Covid-19 positive. Many bureaucrats and doctors are also infected. Around 2,400 cases are being reported on a daily basis. What is the current situation of Covid-19 pandemic in the State?
I wish the Governor and all of those tested positive to recover soon from the virus. Chief medical officers have ramped up testing, thus the numbers are rising. The rising number of new cases is not much of a worrying sign, but the state’s priority is to keep the fatality rate as low as possible. Health department is implementing all the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines regarding Covid- 19 strictly. I reviewed the current covid-19 situation today with the health department. Health officers have been asked to monitor it minutely while health professionals and police and sanitation workers have been directed to jointly work with effective coordination to contain Covid-19. At the same time, I again and again appeal to people to follow Covid-19 protocol.
In view of rising up Covid-19 cases in NCR districts, whether the State Government is considering enforcing lockdown again?
The national capital region districts have witnessed a sudden spike in coronavirus cases. Only four districts – Gurugram, Faridabad, Hisar and Rohtak — were badly affected at present. These four districts collectively accounted for about 63 per cent of the total active cases. The department officials are making all efforts to control the Covid-19 situation in NCR districts. We have followed the policy of life and protecting from the virus to go together. Contact tracing is an integral part of the strategy to break the chain of virus transmission. As of now, we are not thinking of enforcing any lockdown in any part of the State. All people must follow Covid-19 protocol strictly.
Delhi Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bhardwaj blames Haryana for increasing Covid-19 cases in Delhi. What would you say?
AAP leaders should worry to contain Covid-19 outbreak in Delhi. It is time to fight against Corona and not to blame each other.
Around 2000-2500 Covid cases are being reported on a daily basis. What would you tell the people regarding their protection from the virus and helping the administration to contain pandemic?
Festivals caused crowding at markets but the government expects it to go down as the festive season winds down. Senior health officers have been asked to lay emphasis on 3Ts—tracing, testing and treatment for early detection, treatment of Covid-19 patients. Officials asked to curb crowds at markets subject to tests, positivity rates. Officials are asked to speak to market associations on measures to reduce crowding. The government is only looking for ways to see how to curb crowding in markets. Virus cannot be contained through lockdown and that people should protect themselves by wearing face masks. We have issued guidelines on physical distancing and the use of sanitisers, face masks to curb community spread of the disease and everyone should follow it strictly.
Some students and teachers infected with Covid-19 after reopening of schools in Rewari, Jind. What would you say?
The health department has become fully alert regarding the situation. The methods of protection from corona will have to be strictly followed.
Opposition leaders are targeting the State Government over increasing crime cases? What would you say?
This is not true. A reduction in State crime has been noticed over a period of time. Crime had decreased in 2019 as compared to 2018. There has been a decrease in cases of heinous crimes, including murder, crimes against women, robbery, robbery, and kidnapping for extortion, as compared to last year. The State has registered a 17 per cent decrease in crimes against women while a success rate of about 88 per cent has been achieved in solving murder cases. There has also been a decrease of 13.57 per cent in rape cases and 93 per cent rape cases have been successfully solved.
Opposition leaders have not made any statement regarding ‘love jihad’ law as your government is considering it. What is the need of making a law for ‘love jehad’?
For an example, in Nitika murder case, the victim’s family has alleged that the assailant was forcing Nikita to convert to Islam in order to marry her, despite her and the family having rebuffed his advances. Some other cases also, such statements were given by the victim families. A strict law will be enacted to control ‘Love Jihad’ cases in the State. A committee composed of the Home Department, Advocate General and other concerned officers will be constituted to draft this law. I today presided over a first meeting with higher officials of the department in this regard. They have been asked to study the laws made by other states on the same subject. The State Government is committed to make a law for ‘love jehad’.