K'taka to promulgate ordinance to control spread of COVID-19

Bengaluru, Apr 20 (): The Karnataka cabinet on Mondaydecided to promulgate an ordinance giving it special powers tocontrol the spread of COVID-19, which includes providingprotection to front line health workers and making non-cooperation with government a punishable offence.

"We have decided to bring in an ordinance in line withKerala and Uttar Pradesh governments to manage this epidemic.

It will bring into force a new epidemic act by repealingthe old epidemic act," Law and Parliamentary Affairs MinisterJ C Madhuswamy said.

Under this ordinance, the government would provideprotection to health line workers who are in the frontline inthe fight against COVID-19. "Also, under this, non cooperation with the government,any act of purposely spreading the disease and spreading oflies and misinformation will be made a punishable offence," headded.

The government has the powers to promulgate theordinance, a state epidemic act and it does not the need theassent of the President, he said.

The minister said the government has done this aftergoing through the ordinances of the Kerala and Uttar Pradeshgovernments. The state government's decision comes in the backdrop ofthe incident on Sunday at Padarayanapura in the city whenpolice and health officials were allegedly attacked after theytried to quarantine some people. KSU APRRAVINDRANATH APRRAVINDRANATH