Jail Term for Attackers: Govt Brings Ordinance to Protect Health Workers!

The central government has brought in a new ordinance under which any person who attacks a health worker treating COVID- 19 cases will be jailed for a maximum of seven years. The ordinance was brought in to amend the Epidemic Act on Wednesday. 

Union Minister, Prakash Javedkar, while addressing a press conference told that the ordinance has been introduced to “save health workers and other corona warriors.”

Attacking a health worker would be a cognizable and non bailable offence as per the law. The ordinance stipulates a 30-day period for undertaking investigation on attacks against health workers. The stipulated period for delivering a verdict on such cases, is one year. 

For normal cases the jail term might be anywhere between 3 months to 5 years and a fine of Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh will be imposed on the offender. A jail term for 6 months to 7 years and a fine of Rs 1 Lakh to Rs 7 lakhs will be imposed on the offenders for serious cases. If damage is caused to vehicles and clinics of health workers, the guilty will be paying a fine that is double the market rate of the damaged property. 

Earlier in the week, the Indian Medical Association demanded the Centre to bring in a law to protect medical professionals who are getting attacked while they are on duty. A series of incidents have put front line workers in risk. The association had also held a candle light protest to express their dissent against the violence health workers have been exposed to. 

The protest was called off after Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured them that the government will provide security and ensure the safety of health workers.