Haryana Police on Saturday said it has registered a total of 38 FIRs against 36 accused persons for allegedly spreading fake news or rumors about COVID-19 on Whatsapp and other social media platforms across the State.
In a statement, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order), Navdeep Singh Virk said that Home Minister, Anil Vij had instructed the Police Department to initiate stern action against those circulating fake, misleading and unverified information about COVID-19 on social media so that potential confusion and panic among the general public could be prevented. All such rumour-mongers have been booked under different sections of IPC and IT Act, he added.
The ADGP advised the general public neither to post unverified information on their social media accounts nor forward it to others on messaging apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger etc, as they would could land in trouble.
To enforce the strict lockdown, he said that Police has also registered 1141 FIRs booking close to 1655 persons for violating the Government order. Since the lockdown is in order, Haryana Police have also seized 5750 vehicles and imposed a fine of Rs 7.11 crore upon the violators under the Motor Vehicle Act.
DEDICATED TEAMS TO CHECK FAKE NEWS
To tighten the noose around rumor-mongers spreading provocative and misleading messages through various social media platforms, regarding COVID-19, Director, Information, Public Relations and Languages Department, P.C. Meena has already constituted several dedicated teams at both State and District Level.
These teams will monitor Facebook pages, Twitter, YouTube, web portals, news channels, other social media platforms to nip those involved in circulating ‘fake news’, spreading sensationalism and misinformation about COVID-19 and to stay abreast of the situation so that panic is not spread among the people.
The cyber cell of Haryana Police in the State is closely monitoring on information being circulated on social media platforms and is further ensuring that no ‘False News’ should cause panic. Apart from this, the Government agencies are also keeping a close vigil watch on every news being circulated on social media platforms.
Sharing more details about the same, an official spokesperson said that if any information received from social media or anywhere else is misleading or beyond the facts, then he should inform the police and local administration and also send it to diprfactcheck@gmail.com .
He said that a case under various sections of IPC as well as the IT Act and Epidemic Act will be registered against those who are involved in posting or circulating of forwarding ‘False news or message’ which may create panic among general public in the time of crisis.
HARYANA SETS UP EXCLUSIVE COVID-19 HOSPITAL
Haryana Government on Saturday said Shaheed Hasan Khan Mewati Government Medical College in Nalhar, with a capacity of 600 beds, will now be an exclusive COVID-19 hospital.
Presiding over a meeting of the Crisis Coordination Committee through video conferencing, Haryana Chief Secretary Keshni Anand Arora directed the officers that the patients who are already admitted in the hospital should be immediately shifted to nearby hospitals after duly following all transfer protocols.
Apart from this, it should also be ensured that the availability and supply of adequate medical equipments including PPE kits, masks etc in this hospital. She directed that the officers should also ensure that exclusive COVID wards are made in the medical hospitals and colleges across the State.
The Chief Secretary directed that possibilities should be explored to convert the medical colleges into exclusively COVID hospitals. Private laboratories should be identified in each district which can be designated for COVID-19 testing and along with this, the availability of rapid testing kits should be ensured in every hospital and medical college, she added.