Violations of COVID-19 norms made compoundable offences in TN

Governor Banwarilal Purohit promulgated the Tamil Nadu Public Health Act, 1939 (Second Amendment) Ordinance 2020, to carry out amendments to the Tamil Nadu Public Health Act, 1939 (Tamil Nadu Act III of 1939) based on a proposal sent by the state government, a Raj Bhavan release said.

When contacted by PTI, state Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan said with the offences made compoundable, the implementing authority can levy a spot fine on the violators instead of filing a chargesheet. The Raj Bhavan release said despite the government's aggressive information, education and communication campaign on the public health experts precautions including mandatory wearing of face mask, maintaining physical distance and other measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus, a section of people, institutions and shops do not follow these norms.

Thereby, they put themselves and others at risk of spreading infections. Further, violence against the persons implementing these measures had also been brought to the notice of the government.

"Such acts of violence hinder the measures taken to control the spread of COVID-19 in the community and deter the advancement of public health," the release said. Hence, it was considered necessary to make the violations against lockdown and social distancing measures as compoundable offences and also to prohibit acts of violence against the persons implementing these measures.