In its endeavour to tackle any possible resurgence of next Covid-19 wave in the national Capital, the Delhi Police Commissioner, SN Shrivastava, directed his officials to form district and thana (police station) level committees for public health care management.
“These committees will be meant for providing professional response to various situations arising out of public health emergencies, movement of migrant labourers, care for the destitute, elderly citizens and women, food/ration for the needy and hungry, maintaining essential supplies, etc,” said Shrivastava, while addressing senior police officers during his weekly review meeting.
“One of the most important objectives of these committees will be to work towards public acceptance of Covid Appropriate Behaviour (CAB) and placing measures for systemic and voluntary adoption, thus minimising the need for coercive enforcement,” said Shrivastava.
The CP also asked the field officers to enlist the cooperation of citizens in CAB implementation.
“Covid appropriate compliance can be ensured only when all citizens voluntarily observe it out of a sense of responsibility and duty,” said the CP adding that police should prosecute the violations which should be the minimum occurrence and not a norm.
“The aforementioned committees will comprise of the concerned police authorities chaired by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) and Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), as the case may be, for district and thana level committee,” said Chinmoy Biswal, the spokesperson of Delhi Police.
“The committee may also include the medical & paramedic establishments (hospitals, laboratories, nursing homes, ambulance service providers, etc.), trade associations and industrial area associations, public lodging facilities, health sector NGOs, educational institutions, RWAs and MWAs, public spirited individuals, creative audio/video media professionals, IT professionals and celebrities with public appeal etc, besides civic agency officials and other Government functionaries who may also be invited as special invitees,” said Biswal.
“The meetings will be held in accordance with the prevalent public health emergency norms for e.g., during the Covid-19 phase, preferably virtually,” said Biswal.
“The Covid Cell at Police Headquarters will be upgraded to a Public Health Emergency Management Cell which shall function as the PHQ Node for supervising these District and Thana Level Committees,” Biswal added.
Discussing the implementation of CAB, the CP Delhi stressed upon enhanced police visibility in market places and areas which are likely to be visited in large numbers.
He again directed that MWAs and RWAs be involved proactively to ensure that CAB is strictly adhered to in their respective places.
“The public announcement systems should be used to educate the public and there should be no margin for slackness in implementation of Covid guidelines in public places,” the CP told officers.