Ahead of the Monsoon Session, Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday took stock of the preparedness against the backdrop of Covid-19.
Naidu said the MPs should ensure testing is done in their own interest. The Parliamentarians will have to use face masks for 12 hours and also whenever they speak in the House.
While a Covid awareness video clip will be shared to MPs, the DRDO will provide a range of sanitisation services in the Parliament.
Regarding quarantine requirements in different States on return of members after attending the Session, Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla assured Naidu that the matter will be taken up with States/UTs to enable travel of MPs without any difficulty. This issue was discussed in the context of Government employees on duty not being required to undergo quarantine in the States/UTs.
Bhalla suggested that members will have to undergo COVID test within 72 hours of the commencement of the Session and those coming from different parts of the country will have to wait for the results before undertaking travel. ‘Those getting positive on arrival in Delhi should quarantine themselves and those testing positive during the session should not attend the House,” Bhalla suggested.
Responding to the query of the Chairman on the consequences of members wearing masks for the full duration of the session each day, Dr. Balaram Bhargava, DG, Indian Council of Medical Research clarified that wearing masks continuously for 12 hours is absolutely safe. He further suggested that MPs may speak while wearing masks to minimize the spread of virus.
Dr. Bhargava said that though the seating arrangements in Rajya Sabha chamber and galleries have been made complying with physical distancing norms, the MPs should speak seated to avoid dispersal of aerosols.
Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan suggested that movement of MPs in the chambers of both the Houses may be made unidirectional to avoid face to face interactions.
Naidu directed the Secretariat officials to ensure only minimum movement of people in the Parliament House premises in consultation with the Lok Sabha Secretariat. He also suggested that entry into the Central Hall of Parliament should be limited to members of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha and that too, only when the respective House is in session.
Secretary, Defence Research and Chairman DRDO Dr. Satish Reddy gave a detailed account of the sanitization services to be provided by DRDO.