E-Paper
DoPT asks police to issue authorisation letters for essential staff
The order comes in the wake of a 21-day nationwide lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday to halt the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
The Department of Personnel and Training issued an order on Wednesday, asking the police to issue letters of authorisation for “essential staff” across ministries.
The order comes in the wake of a 21-day nationwide lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday to halt the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
However, defence personnel, central armed police forces, treasury department, public utilities (including petrol, CNG, LPG, PNG), disaster management, power generation and transmission units, post offices, National Informatics Centre and early warning agencies are allowed to keep their offices open.
The DoPT order issued by joint secretary R Jaya notes that “exigencies” have arisen in various departments that are not exempt from the lockdown. The department has asked the heads of departments (HoDs) to draw a list of essential staff that is “absolutely necessary” to carry out services.
“The HoDs will draw up a roster by tomorrow or day after ( for the absolutely necessary employees),” a DoPT official said.
The list has to be forwarded to deputy Commissioner of police (DCP) Eish Singhal via email. The police, in turn, have been asked to issue an authorisation letter. A printout of the letter has to be made available to the staff concerned.
The “essential staff” has been asked to carry their official id-cards along with the authorisation letter on their way to work. All other employees have been directed to work from home.
