Coronavirus Outbreak: CPI's Binoy Viswam gives notice in Rajya Sabha over prevention

Communist Party of India (CPI) MP Biy Viswam has given a zero hour tice in Rajya Sabha over demand for free supply of masks and sanitisers in wake of coronavirus outbreak.  During Zero Hour, parliamentarians can raise matters of great importance without mandatory ten days tice.

As COVID-19 cases in country reached 60 as of Wednesday, government has anunced that incoming travelers, including Indian nationals, arriving from or having visited China, Italy, Iran, Republic of Korea, France, Spain, and Germany after February 15 will be quarantined for a minimum period of 14 days.

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India Suspends Most Visas

decision was taken at a meeting of a group of ministers held here under chairmanship of Health Minister Harsh Vardhan. "All existing visas, except diplomatic, official, UN/International organisations, employment and project visas, stand suspended till 15th April 2020. This will come into effect from 1200GMT on 13th March 2020 at port of departure," statement said. Visa-free travel facility granted to Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card holders is also kept in abeyance till April 15.

"Indian nationals are strongly vised to avoid all n-essential travel abro. On ir return, y can be subjected to quarantine for a minimum of 14 days," it said. International traffic through land borders will be restricted to designated check posts with robust screening facilities. se will be tified separately by ministry of home affairs, release said.

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Provision for testing primarily for students/compassionate cases in Italy to be me and collection for samples to be organised accordingly. Those tested negative will be allowed to travel and will be quarantined on arrival in India for 14 days, press release said.

second meeting of group of ministers was attended among ors by ministers Hardeep S Puri (Civil Aviation), S Jaishankar (External Affairs), Nityananda Rai (MoS Home), Mansukh Mandaviya (MoS Shipping) and Ashwini Kumar Choubey (MoS Health). GOM discussed recommendations me by Committee of Secretaries chaired by Cabinet Secretary and took latest decisions, release ded. 

(with PTI inputs)