How Delhi cops plan to enforce extended lockdown

New Delhi

New Delhi

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The Delhi police, administration and civic authorities are working out ways to enforce the extended coronavirus disease (Covid-19) lockdown -- from a moratorium on the sale of liquor and tobacco to a ban on spitting -- when some restrictions will be lifted after April 20 to allow select handyman services in the city

The police are yet to issue an order on the execution of exemptions for all those who can open for business after that date, but many officers who spoke to Hindustan Times said the department will work closely with the Delhi government, market welfare associations and resident welfare associations to implement them.

According to the guidelines issued by the federal ministry of home affairs on Wednesday, many self-employed people like plumbers, carpenters, electricians and automobile mechanics, who are not registered, will be allowed to return to work when the exemptions take force..

“We could issue curfew passes for such persons. If there are no curfew passes, then police will speak to the resident welfare associations or the market welfare associations to give the names of all such persons in their area,” said a police officer, requesting anonymity.

They could then be allowed after matching their names and details with their identify proof document such as a voter’s identity card or an Aadhaar unique ID. This practice is already being followed in places like Chandni Mahal and Nizamuddin, which are containment areas.

“These are only the list of suggestions we have made in a meeting with our senior officers. The order is yet to be issued,” said the police officer cited above.

Beat constables will coordinate with workers like roadside mechanics, who have no links with market associations or residential colonies, another police officer said.

“Every police station area is divided into beats. A constable or a head constable is in charge of the beat. The beat could comprise of a lane or many lanes. Each constable is expected to know every person from his/her beat. It will be the beat in-charge’s job to ensure that only the concerned person is out on the road,” the second officer said.

The guidelines also state that the sale of liquor, tobacco or any such items will be “strictly prohibited” until May 3, the last day of the extended lockdown. The district administrations said on Wednesday that it has formed teams to ensure compliance with the rule.

“The teams comprise of licensing inspectors from the municipal corporations, legal metrology officers (LMOs) from the weights and measurements department, excise inspectors, drug inspectors, and food and civil supplies inspectors. They submit daily reports to us on their actions taken in various districts against activities such as illegal sale, hoarding and blackmarketing,” said Sonalika Jiwani, sub-divisional magistrate,Mehrauli.

The rules also talk of allowing some construction activities in the city form April 20. For this, the onus will lie of the municipal corporations.

“I will hold a meeting with my officers tomorrow to chalk out a plan for enforcing this. Our inspectors will have to visit every lane and thoroughly check that only those projects are opened where labourers are staying on-site,” said Varsha Joshi, commissioner of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation.

“Also, the larger point of inspecting construction activities is to ensure strict compliance with social distancing. Whether workers are being given adequate protection to prevent the spread of the virus will also be checked,” Joshi said.

The latest guidelines also said spitting in public should attract penalties. The directive was first issued by lieutenant governor Anil Baijal last month when officials in the quarantine facility in Tughlakabad registered a first information report for misbehaviour by those evacuated from the Nizamuddin Markaz and put under quarantine in mid-March. The complaint said the inmates were spitting even after being warned against it.

Compliance with the prohibition of spitting will have to be ensured by the district magistrates, said a senior government official. “This drive is already going on across all districts. We will escalate the crackdown now,” said a district magistrate on condition of anonymity.

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