News:Union Cabinet has approved promulgation of an Ordinance to amend the Epidemic Diseases Act,1897 in order to protect healthcare service personnel as well as the property against the violence during epidemics.
Facts:
Healthcare service personnel: It comprises public and clinical healthcare service providers including doctors, nurses, paramedical workers and community health workers or any other persons empowered by the Act to take measures in order to prevent the outbreak of the disease.
Key Provisions of the ordinance:
- Cognizable and Non-Bailable: Violence against the healthcare workers has been made cognizable and non-bailable offences.
- Compensation: It contains a provision of providing compensation for injury to healthcare service personnel or for causing damage or loss to the property.
- If the damage is done to the vehicles or clinics of healthcare workers then a compensation amounting to twice the market value of the damaged property will be taken from the accused.
- Investigation: The investigation into the cases of attack on healthcare workers will be completed within 30 days and judgment will be pronounced within one year.
- Punishment: The accused of the attack can attract a punishment ranging from 3 months to 5 years and a fine from 50 thousand rupees to 2 lakh rupees.
- In case of grievous injuries, the accused can be sentenced from 6 months to 7 years and they can also be penalized from one lakh to 5 lakh rupees.
