DDMA to no longer evoke Disaster Managment Act as Covid infections recede

The DDMA on Saturday said no formal orders under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, will be issued by it any longer regarding COVID containment in Delhi.

In a letter to officials, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) referred to a recent decision by National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) that said there may not be any further need to invoke the provisions of Disaster Management Act, 2005, for COVID containment measures, in view of overall improvement in the situation.

"The DDMA in its meeting chaired by Lt Governor, on March 31, unanimously agreed that in terms of directions received from the Ministry of Home Affairs, no formal orders under Disaster Management Act, 2005 will be issued henceforth," said the letter.

The DDMA with its February 26 order had already removed all prohibitions and restrictions concerning COVID management in Delhi, except punishment for not wearing face mask in public places.

The Health department of Delhi government in an order on Friday revoked even that measure, which stipulated a penalty of Rs 500.

The curbs have been lifted after two years of first wave of COVID infections hitting the city and the rest of the country.

They were first imposed on March 22, 2020, amid pervasive fear and panic among the masses here and world over.

The restrictions then imposed, including halved seating capacity in public transport, closure of shops, markets, shutting of offices, and other establishments, continued for the next two years as the city braved three waves of infections.

With the rise in number COVID cases December last year, caused by the Omicron variant, Delhi government imposed several more restrictions.

These were lifted gradually as the infections abated and all curbs were finally done away with on February 28.

Delhi reported 131 fresh COVID-19 cases with a positivity rate of 0.57 per cent and one death due to the viral disease on Friday, according to data shared by the city health department.

With these fresh cases, the national capital's tally of cases has increased to 18,65,101. The death toll rose to 26,153, it stated.

The city has recorded zero fatality count on multiple days in March.

The number of daily COVID-19 cases in Delhi has been on the decline after touching the record high of 28,867 on January 13.

Delhi had recorded a positivity rate of 30.6 per cent on January 14, the highest during the third wave of the pandemic.