THE
JHARKHAND GAZETTE
EXTRAORDINARY
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
4 Chaitr, 1942 (S)
No. 178
Ranchi, Friday, 24th April, 2020
Department of Health, Medical Education & Family Welfare
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Notification
16th March, 2020
The Jharkhand State Epidemic Disease (COVID-19) Regulations, 2020
Ref. No. 61 (13)-- In exercise of the powers under section 2, 3 & 4 of the Epidemic Disease Act, 1897, the Governor of Jharkhand is pleased to issue following regulations regarding COVID-19 (Corona Virus Disease 2019):
(i) These regulations may be called 'The Jharkhand Epidemic Disease (COVID-19) Regulations, 2020'.
1. Short title: extent
and commencement
(ii) They shall extend to whole of the State of Jharkhand.
(iii) They shall come into force from the date of publication of the notification in the official Gazette.
In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires:
2. Definitions
(a) 'Epidemic disease' means COVID-19.
(b) 'Surveillance Personnel' means any personnel designated by the District Magistrate of the respective District to discharge such functions, duties and responsibilities as are considered necessary for the purpose of these regulations.
(c) 'Premises' means any land, whether used to agriculture or non- agricultural purposes, or any building or part of a building and includes,-Jharkhand Gazette (Extraordinary), Friday, 24th April, 2020 2 (i) the garden, grounds and out-houses, if any, appurtenant to such building or part of a building, and
(ii) any fittings affixed to such building or part of a building for the more beneficial enjoyment, thereof;
(d) 'Home Quarantine' means confining a person suspected for suffering from Epidemic disease to a dwelling unit or part thereof with a purpose to minimize possibility of direct or indirect contact with other persons and animals.
(e) 'Institutional Quarantine' Facility means any facility declared by the Director in Chief, Health Services, Jharkhand for the purpose of quarantine of suspected/probable cases of COVID-19.
(f) 'Isolation Facility' means any facility declared by the Director in Chief, Health Services, Jharkhand for the purpose of isolation of confirmed cases of COVID-19.
(g) 'Other' means any instruction(s) or order(s) issued by the concerned Deputy Commissioner/Deputy Development Commissioner/Additional District Magistrate/Sub Divisional Officer/Executive Magistrate or Officers of the Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare Department not below the rank of Civil Surgeon-cum-Chief Medical Officer of a District, Principal of a Government Medical College or Medical Superintendent of a Hospital for the surveillance, prevention and control of COVID-19.
(h) 'State and District Surveillance Unit' means any unit or office notified as such by the State Government or any of its functionaries.
3. Powers, duties and
responsibilities of
Surveillance
Personnel
(i) If there are sufficient reasons, cause or information to suspect or believe that any person (s) could be infected with COVID-19 and his continued presence in a premises is hazardous to the public safety, it shall be lawful for a Surveillance Personnel to enter upon any such premises, after giving reasonable opportunity to the owner/ occupier, for the purpose of surveillance of instances of fever or cough or respiratory difficulty, enquire into or undertake physical examination, as he/she thinks fit, and such person(s) shall be bound to cooperate and render all possible assistance to facilitate such surveillance, inspection, enquiry and examination.
4. Duties of Medical
Officers and
Practitioners
(ii) If consequent upon such inquiry, inspection, examination or otherwise, Surveillance Personnel has reason to believe or suspect that such a person could be infected with COVID-19, the Surveillance Personnel may direct/arrange to put that person (s) in home quarantine or direct/ escort that person (s) to an 'Institutional Quarantine Facility' or an 'Isolation Facility'. It shall be mandatory for Medical Officers in Government Health Institutions and registered Private Medical Practitioners, including AYUSH practitioners, to notify such person(s) to the concerned State & District Surveillance Unit, along with duly filled up self declaration forms, who, within their knowledge, are having travel history to COVID-19 affected countries as per the extant guidelines and are having complaints of fever or cough or respiratory difficulty or even without any signs and symptoms of the Epidemic disease.
Jharkhand Gazette (Extraordinary), Friday, 24th April, 2020 35. Enforcement
6. Restrictions
If the owner or occupier(s) of any premises or any individual suspected/confirmed with COVID-19, refuses to take measures for prevention or treatment i.e. Home quarantine/Institutional Quarantine/ Isolation or any such person refuses to co-operate with, render assistance to or comply with the directions of the Surveillance Personnel, the concerned Deputy Commissioner/ Deputy Development Commissioner/Additional District Magistrate/Sub Divisional Officer or an Executive Magistrate, having jurisdiction and specifically authorized by the District Magistrate in this regard, may pass an appropriate Order and may proceed with proceedings under Section 133 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974) or take any other coercive action as deemed necessary and expedient for enforcing such cooperation and assistance. In case of a minor, such Order shall be directed to the guardian or any other adult member of the family of the minor. No person/Institutions/Organizations will use any print or electronic media for information regarding COVID-19 without necessary order. This is to avoid spread of any Rumour or unauthenticated information regarding COVID-19. No private laboratory has been authorized to take or test samples for COVID-19. All such samples will be collected and sent to designated labs as per prevailing guidelines of Govt. of India or as per the prevailing order of the Department of Health Government of Jharkhand. The Home/Institutional quarantine, Isolation, management & other protocols will be done as per prevailing guidelines of Govt. of India or as per the prevailing order of the Department of Health Government of Jharkhand.
7. Offences
Whosoever contravenes any of the provisions of these regulations or disobeys an Order or obstructs the performance of functions, duties and responsibilities enshrined upon any authority under these regulations, shall be deemed to have committed an offence under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (45 of 1860)
8. Protection
No suit or other legal proceedings shall be against any person for anything done or intended to the done in good faith under these Regulations.
Dr. Nitin Kulkarni,
Principal Secretary Department of Health, Medical Education & Family Welfare.
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