In a bid to curb the spreading of the novel coronavirus, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday imposed a mandatory work from home policy for employees of private offices in Mumbai. The move by the BMC comes along with the lockdown measures by the state government to combat COVID-19 cases.
With a gradual increase in the number of cases infected by the COVID-19 virus, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray approved a proposal making it mandatory for offices to shift to a rotational work schedule, ensuring that there is not more than 50 per cent of the workforce present in an office at any given time. By Monday, the number of active cases rose to six in Mumbai.
BMC Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi, following CM Thackeray's nod, invoked the provisions of the Epidemic Disease Act, 1897, and issued orders to private offices asking them to operate at less than 50 per cent staff capacity during office hours. However, Commissioner Pardeshi has permitted the remaining staff to operate from home.
Initially, the state had requested private offices to allow its employees to work from home. However, as the number of cases in the city has risen, the civic body has decided to make it mandatory to allow only 50 per cent workforce in offices.
Meanwhile, the state government had previously shut down schools, colleges, malls, theatres, gymnasiums and auditoriums in Mumbai in the first batch of restrictions imposed on March 13 and March 14.
However, the government has made an exception for establishments involved in the supply of essential and emergency services, including Internet service providers, banks, water supply, telephone services, rail and transportation, food and vegetables, groceries, hospitals, medical centres and medical stores, among others.
The private institutions failing to comply with these orders would invite criminal action under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code for disobedience of an order promulgated by a public servant," said BMC Commissioner Pardeshi.
A directive has also been issued to the respective assistant municipal commissioners of administrative wards and the police to issue advisories asking people not to gather for masses, at sea beaches and at public places.
The Maharashtra government, on Monday, had also restricted entry of visitors to Mantralaya (state secretariat) till further notice, due to the novel coronavirus threat. The officials said that the visitors pass management system at Mantralaya has been also stopped till further orders.
Coronavirus Scare: Three-year-old Kalyan girl tests positive; count in Maharashtra increases to 39
Share
Tweet
