The recent surge in Covid-19 pandemic is wreaking havoc to every aspect of our lives again. However, since the beginning of the pandemic, government has been taking measures to curb it with various ways.
Now in that continuity, government has taken up a plan to alter the ‘Communicable Diseases (Prevention, Control and Eradication) Act, 2018’, in order to tackle emergency situation related to public health by checking contagious diseases, particularly Covid-19. It is worth mentioning that this law will give the police magisterial power to ensure facemask use and other health guidelines needed to follow amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Government should come
up with more
specific plan so that people can abide by the planned
restrictions
We know that, there is no alternative to safeguard the use of face masks for all. However, experts opine that to ensure it police should not be given special power to ensure it. They think this as it will contradict our constitutional laws.
According to our constitution, sections 269 and 270 of the Penal Code, 1860 and the Communicable Diseases (Prevention, Control and Elimination) Act, 2018 are enough for taking action on the negligent and malignant spread of communicable diseases, including the Covid-19.
People have become reluctant to wear masks and without wearing masks we will not be able to contain the deadly virus. Therefore, if this law is implemented than it will help to safeguard masks at all levels. Now, this law is amended, police will be given magistracy powers to control the pandemic, and if given they should make sure that it does not increase the harassment of common people. To restrict the disease from spreading further, government should come up with more specific plan, so that people can abide by the planned restrictions.