Amid fall in the Covid-19 cases and positivity rate at one per cent across the national Capital, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Tuesday revoked the fine of Rs 500 for not wearing the mask in the national Capital. The decision was taken in the DDMA meeting chaired by the Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Tuesday.

According to the DDMA order, it was agreed that the order of compulsory wearing of masks under the Epidemic Act may not be extended beyond September 30, 2022. Hence the fine of Rs. 500 for not wearing masks in public places would also stand withdrawn. “Another major decision taken in the meeting is that the Land on which the three Covid Care Centres (CCC) have come up, that is Radha Saomi Satsang, Chattarpur; Sawan Kiral, Burari; Sant Nirankari, Burari, may be handed back to the concerned organisations.

“It was also decided that the medical equipment and medical stores in these Covid Care Centres would be transferred to the hospitals where it was required. A proper inventory of such equipment and stores would be prepared,” it stated.

“Another decision is that the engagement of contractual or outsourced manpower against sanctioned vacant posts in Covid hospitals is permitted upto December 31, 2022 only in Covid Hospitals,” it said. “It was further decided that 12 oxygen tankers may be operated by Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) on outsourcing basis and the 6000 oxygen cylinders should also be utilized on outsourcing basis,” the order further stated. During the meeting the Chief Secretary of Delhi Government Naresh Kumar also gave a brief background of the Covid situation, as emerged since March, 2020.

Kumar said that Delhi reported its first confirmed case of Covid-19 in March, 2020 and by the time National Lockdown was imposed the city Government had started issuing orders under the legal framework of Disaster Management Act, 2005.Kumar also mentioned about the coverage of high levels of first and second dose of vaccinations among the eligible population of Delhi and further informed that the precaution dose coverage is about 24 per cent of the eligible population.

Meanwhile, Secretary (II&FW), Delhi Government informed that testing in Delhi has been above the National average. “As on September, 20, 2022, a total of 21,13,462 cumulative tests per million population have been done in Delhi that is more than three times the National average which is 6.5 lakh test per million,” he said.

Regarding daily positivity trend he informed that positivity trend slightly increased in the month of August, 2022 and the number of cases rose nearly to around 2000 per day but the cases have declined substantially after August, 25, 2022 and now there are only around 100 cases per day in Delhi.

“Daily monitoring of Covid situation is being done by the H&FW Department, Delhi Government. A Health bulletin is issued daily by the Department, for information of the general public and other stakeholders.  The net positivity rate as on September 20, 2022 was 0.82 per cent in Delhi, whereas the all India average was 1.33 per cent,” he said.

During the meeting, many senior dignitaries including the Chief Secretary, Delhi Government, Naresh Kumar, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Member, NITI Aayog, Dr. V.K. Paul, Revenue Minister, Delhi Government, Kailash Gahlot, Special Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of DDMA, Sushil Singh and were present.

Earlier this year, in April, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) relaxed the terms and conditions of the COVID related guidelines after noticing a steep decline in the number of coronavirus cases in the national capital.

However, on April 20, following the spurt in COVID 19 cases, the DDMA lifted the relaxation for not wearing masks and imposed a fine of Rs 500 if found violating its guidelines.