Coronavirus: Raj govt restricts assembly of five or more people

Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma on Monday said the government has imposed prohibitory orders restricting assembly of five or more people to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

He said that people can be booked under Indian Penal Code section 188 (disobedience of order) if they are found violating the order.

"The state government has taken strict measures like imposing a lockdown but I have seen that people are not taking it seriously. The prime minister himself has said that the lockdown should be strictly implemented," Sharma said.

He said that in order to deal with any emergency, the state government has identified one lakh beds for quarantine in places like houses, hotels, hostels and hospitals.

The minister said that strict action will be taken against those spreading rumours on social media and flouting prohibitory orders and added that the state government has arrested 29 people for such offences.

Hoarding and black marketing of masks, sanitiser and food grains is also punishable offence, he added.

The health minister said that a COVID-19 relief fund has been constituted by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot where people can make donations. Nursing and paramedical councils have contributed Rs 11 lakh each whereas medical and pharmacy councils have contributed Rs 5 lakh each, he added.

Doctors' Union associates have decided to donate their one-day salary and several public representatives are also doing the same.

The chief minister also decided on Monday that all ministers will contribute Rs one lakh each to the fund and Congress MLAs will give their one-month salary to combat COVID-19.

Former chief minister Vasundhara Raje tweeted that she would donate her two months' salary to the chief minister's and prime minister's funds.

"To combat the COVID-19 outbreak, I'm donating my salary of 2 months to the CM & PM relief funds, respectively. Additionally, I have also released a sum of Rs one lakh from my MLALAD to aid medics assisting patients. The amount will be used to purchase medical necessities," she said.