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Uttarakhand CM, 2 ministers quarantine themselves despite DM’s clean chit
The Dehradun district magistrate wrote to Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat that neither he nor two other ministers would need to be quarantined as they were low-risk contacts of Satpal Maharaj who tested positive for Covid-19.
Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and two of his cabinet ministers have decided to quarantine themselves despite the Dehradun district magistrate on Monday saying that all three were ‘low risk contacts’ and they just need to follow May 18 guidelines issued by the Centre, one of the ministers said.
On May 18, union health ministry had issued guidelines on preventive measures to contain the spread of Covid-19 in workplace settings, including maintaining physical distancing of at least one meter, using masks, frequent hand washing, following respiratory etiquettes, self-monitoring, reporting any illness, whether in self or office staff.
After tourism minister Satpal Maharaj, four of his family members and 17 staffers tested positive for the deadly virus on Saturday, chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and two Cabinet ministers Madan Kaushik and Harak Singh Rawat were facing a quarantine as Maharaj had attended a Cabinet meeting on Friday in which all three were present. On Saturday, Mahaaraj’s wife tested positive for Covid-19.
Minister Madan Kaushik who is also the government spokesperson said, “On Monday, the Dehradun district magistrate in a written communication to the CM and two ministers, including me informed us that none of us will need to be quarantined as we were all low-risk contacts of Maharaj.”
“The administration has said that we can carry on with our work without being quarantined. However, as a precautionary measure all three of us have decided to go for self-quarantine in our homes,” he said.
According to the DM’s letter, the CM and the ministers are low-risk contacts and they need to follow the directions and protocol issued by the Union health ministry on May 18 regarding the workplace.
Earlier on Sunday night, health secretary Amit Singh Negi had said that the department had sent a report of all those present in the Cabinet meeting under categories of high-risk contacts and low-risk contacts of the tourism minister to the Dehradun district administration.
“As per the evaluation, all the ministers in that meeting fall under low-risk contacts which means they didn’t come in direct physical contact with the infected person and were at a distance of one metre. Under such conditions, they don’t need to be put under quarantine but CM has voluntarily put himself in self-quarantine as a precautionary measure,” said Negi.
Meanwhile, the Opposition Congress on Monday demanded that a case of attempt to murder be registered against Maharaj while accusing him of gross negligence and posing health risk to others.
Garima Dasauni, party state spokesperson said, “Maharaj being in such a responsible position, has shown gross negligence. Even after a notice was out on his house for quarantine, he continued to meet people and even attended the Cabinet meeting where CM, other ministers and top officials were present.”
“All these people are responsible to handle the pandemic in the state but he has now put them at grave health risk. We demand him to be booked for attempt to murder case like the jamaatis were booked by government,” said Dasauni.
On May 20, the Dehradun district administration had pasted a notice on Maharaj’s personal residence to put it in quarantine after two of his guests had come from Delhi. Maharaj had then said that the portion of his house which has been quarantined is not the one where he lives with his family but includes his office and guest room.
Government spokesperson Kaushik however, refuted Congress’s demands by saying that it should not pass such a statement when “Maharaj acted with full responsibility after knowing that he and his family members tested positive a day after his wife tested positive.”
“In political life, one has to go among the public to solve their problems or meet his staff members. In that one may get infected, which is unfortunate. But that cannot be termed as gross negligence as the Congress is saying,” said Kaushik.
