States, UTs can strengthen measures but not dilute instructions of Union government: MHA spokesperson

Union Ministry of Home Affairs spokesperson Punya Salila Srivastava on Monday said that the ministry has written to all States and Union Territories that they can strengthen the measures according to the need of their local areas but cannot dilute the instructions of the Union government.

Speaking about the ministry's concerns over the modified lockdown guidelines issued by Kerala government, she said at a press briefing that MHA has written to Kerala government yesterday, "expressing concerns over modified guidelines regarding lockdown issued by the latter. Kerala has allowed some activities that violate the ministry's instructions issued under the Disaster Management Act."

Srivastava said that the Home Ministry has been monitoring the enforcement of lockdown measures. Wherever there is a violation, the ministry is taking appropriate action after contacting the concerned State government.

"The ministry has written to all States and Union Territories and said that they can strengthen the measures according to the need of their local areas but cannot dilute the instructions of the Union government," she said.

Informing further she said that the Union Home Ministry has constituted six inter-ministerial central teams for the highly affected districts of four States including, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Maharashtra.

"COVID-19 has been spreading its wings in some of the districts such as Indore in Madhya Pradesh, Jaipur in Rajasthan, Kolkata, Howrah, 24 Parganas North, Medinipur East, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Kalimpong in West Bengal, in Maharashtra, Mumbai and Pune. Ministry has formed six inter-ministerial central teams under the Disaster Management Act 2005 for on the spot analyzing of these affected districts," she said.

"These teams have reached their respective areas and are being led by the officials of the level of Government Secretary. Each team has six members including one senior public health official and a senior official of National Disaster of Authority," she added.

( With inputs from ANI )

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