Amidst shocking revelations that many landlords in the nation’s capital are allegedly forcing medical professionals to vacate their homes, the Delhi government has decided to take strict action against such landlords.
Our medical professionals such as doctors, nurses, paramedics, pathologists, lab technicians, ward boys, compounders and attendants are at the frontlines of the battle against the coronavirus. While these brave people are risking their lives every day, one would expect society to treat them with a modicum of respect. But it is one thing to clap and beat thalis from balconies, and quite other to let them live with dignity. These professionals are facing social ostracism and suffering the indignity of being forcibly evicted after being accused of spreading the virus.
The Resident Doctors Association of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) had written to the Minister of Home Affairs, Amit Shah. The letter stated, “We condemn such attitude and hereby, request you to release an order, as soon as possible, prohibiting the landlords/owners to evict the tirelessly working Doctors and other healthcare professionals from their rented houses.”
The letter also requested for transport facility for the doctors amid the lockdown in several states requesting a hassle-free movement from their houses to work with the support of administration and police upon showing their identity cards.
Many tweets were also posted about this:
@DrSenthil_MDRD sir, many resident doctors from AIIMS & sardar jung hospitals,living gautam nagar , arjun nagar and geen park areas of delhi r being pressurised by house owners to vacate their homes ,on fear of doctors being source of infection .Inhumane sir .Pls look into it
— Dr ramkumar (@draaarkk) March 24, 2020
So many incidents are coming to light of sincere govt doctors who are now being threatened to enter their own homes! Please look seriously into this matter@narendramodi sir.
Regards,
A govt doctor. pic.twitter.com/MmLHZejsjf— Dr.Devashish (@DevPalkar) March 23, 2020
Taking due note of this issue, the Delhi government took the necessary steps to right this terrible wrong. Terming such behaviour as obstruction of public servant in discharging their duty, the Department of Family Welfare of Delhi NCR directed the concerned authorities to take penal action against such landlords and house owners under relevant law.
Now that Arvind Kejriwal’s government has invoked the Epidemic Diseases Act and formulated the Delhi Epidemic Diseases COVID-19 Regulations, 2020, the authorities like the District Magistrate, Municipal Corporation, Police have been empowered to take certain penal actions against people violating the strict guidelines in place.
With the entire country having been put under complete lockdown it is important that the people because of whom our essential services are running and especially health care workers receive more than just symbolic gratitude from the citizens. The only way to deter such unwarranted behaviour is penal action so that our health care workers can do their jobs without the fear or the mental trauma of being rendered homeless.
The order of the Delhi Government can be read here