The City Standard exclusive : what is Epidemic Disease Act, 1897 ( Article 188)?
It is settled that if the lockdown of India for 21 days(i.e. till 15th April) initiated by our hon’ble Prime Minister Shri. Narendra Modi is carried by the citizens of India strictly then we all will break the chain of the Pandemic and we will see the end of Coronavirus(COVID-19).
The police administration have swiftly swung into action and are strictly booking lockdown violators and are registering penal cases according to the Epidemic Disease Act, 1897. Presently, only in Delhi more than 1000 cases are registered in terms of Article 188.
What is Article 188 and Epidemic Disease Act, 1897 ?
Epidemic Disease Act was first passed in the year 1897 in terms to save the country at that time from any epidemic. In this act, if anyone violates the law, police can take action against the person according to Article 188 of the Indian Penal Court. This law provides many useful powers to the police to under control the situation.
1. If anyone doesn’t follow the guidelines of government it will be taken as offense and violators can be imprisoned for 6 months, fined for Rs.1000 or both.
2. If anyone becomes a hurdle in implementing the guidelines that person will be fined Rs 200, whether that person does it intentionally or not.
3. The Epidemic officer can check any building or any doubtful person and he will not be countable for his mistakes.
Need for this Act today:
As the Coronavirus is spreading through human to human contact very fast and the whole world has come under its influence. The Indian Government has enabled this act and ordered to strictly follow it. As I write this article in India, 553 people have been found positive with COVID-19 among which 43 people have been cured but there have been 10 unfortunate deaths. Presently it seems that the situation is under control but it may get worse and eventually out of control which will expose the medical facility of India.
World Health Organisation praises India
Countries like America, Spain and Italy which have advanced medical facilities but are unfortunately now in very pity condition. Italy and Spain have surrendered to the pandemic. India, on the other hand, is lucky to get the time and learn from Europe’s fallout. Before the pandemic reaches the dreaded third stage India goes for a 21day complete lockdown. So far the World Health Organisation has praised the Indian government on the way they are handling the pandemic. The General Secretary of World Health Organisation says India has fought epidemics like polio and chickenpox in a very impressive way and eradicated them from the Indian soil. WHO stated that they are hopeful that India will come out of this pandemic soon.