Bihar Assembly premises shut till Jan 18 amid Covid surge

The decision was taken after nearly 30 staff members tested positive in the testing in the last three days.

Amid the continuing spread of Covid-19 in Bihar, state's Legislative Assembly Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha on Friday announced complete closure of the Vidhan Sabha premises from January 8-16.

Bihar Legislative Assembly speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha (HT File)

The decision was taken after nearly 30 staff members tested positive in the testing in the last three days.

Sinha said Covid had snatched some staff members and their kin in the past. “Safety of the staff is paramount,” he said.

The speaker also ordered a thorough sanitisation of the premises during the closure period and directed the officials to remain in headquarters with their mobiles switched on so that any unavoidable work could not suffer.

Last year too, Assembly premises had to be closed from April 17 to April 25 amid the deadly second wave of the pandemic, during which 44 Vidhan Sabha secretariat officials and staff members had tested positive within three days of testing.

The Speaker has also issued direction for restarting the Covid control room developed last year for timely medical assistance to the staff and their family members as well as former and present legislators and their families. The control room would also coordinate with health department for timely assistance to the needy.