Karnataka Government issues strict orders against eviction of Doctors and Paramedical Staff over Covid-19 scare

Inquiry of Project by Isha Foundation 'Cauvery Calling' as govt project: Karnataka High Court

Due to the pandemic spreading across India in a fast pace, the scare of this virus has increasing too. The Karnataka Government has received many applications from doctors that their owners were asking them to evict.

Brief facts

The Karnataka Government has been receiving many applications from doctors, and paramedical staff regarding them being asked by their owners/landlords to evict their apartments. The Karnataka Government observed that such behaviour by the owners/landlords amounts to obstruction of duties taken by the doctors or paramedical staff. To resolve this matter the Karnataka Government has issued “Karnataka Epidemic Diseases (COVID-19) Regulation, 2020”[i] under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 and Hyderabad Infectious Disease Act, 1950 for prevention of Coronavirus. By exercising these mentioned powers, “the Karnataka Government has ordered all the Deputy Commissioners of the district / Commissioner, BBMP/ Joint Commissioners of BBMP/ Commissioners of Municipal Corporations/ District Deputy Commissioners of Police”[ii] to take a strict penal action against such owners/landlords with the help of the relevant provisions of law and an action report has to be submitted to the Office of Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, Government of Karnataka on a regular basis.

Key Features

1. The Government of Karnataka has been receiving applications by the doctors regarding their owners asking them to evict their homes.

2. The Government is of a belief that this behaviour is an obstruction to the duties taken by the doctors or paramedical staff.

3. It has issued “Karnataka Epidemic Diseases (COVID-19) Regulation, 2020”[iii] under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 and Hyderabad Infectious Disease Act, 1950 for prevention of Coronavirus.

4. By exercising the power above mentioned, the Government has asked all the Commissioners in Districts and in BBMP to take a strict penal action against the owners or the landlords and an active report shall be submitted to the Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, Government of Karnataka on a regular basis.

Conclusion

Due to the rise in scare caused by the coronavirus across India, the doctors are the saviours who are standing up to their duties and few are sacrificing their lives to eradicate the virus. When they are ready to sacrifice we humans should be proud and learn from them, but there are few owners who were asking the doctors or the paramedical staff to evict their houses because they were scared of the spread. This is something really inhumane and unreasonable. The steps taken by the Karnataka Government and previously by the Delhi Government are really appreciative. More than anything these doctors are the soldiers to this nation and they deserve our respect.

Edited by J. Madonna Jephi

Approved & Published – Sakshi Raje

End Notes

[i] Bar & Bench, Eviction of doctors/paramedics over COVID-19 scare: Karnataka orders strict penal action against errant landlords [Read Order] Bar and Bench – Indian Legal news, https://www.barandbench.com/news/eviction-of-doctors-paramedics-over-covid-19-scare-karnataka-orders-strict-penal-action-against-errant-landlords-read-order (last visited Mar 26, 2020).

[ii] Bar & Bench, Eviction of doctors/paramedics over COVID-19 scare: Karnataka orders strict penal action against errant landlords [Read Order] Bar and Bench – Indian Legal news, https://www.barandbench.com/news/eviction-of-doctors-paramedics-over-covid-19-scare-karnataka-orders-strict-penal-action-against-errant-landlords-read-order (last visited Mar 26, 2020).

[iii] Bar & Bench, Eviction of doctors/paramedics over COVID-19 scare: Karnataka orders strict penal action against errant landlords [Read Order] Bar and Bench – Indian Legal news, https://www.barandbench.com/news/eviction-of-doctors-paramedics-over-covid-19-scare-karnataka-orders-strict-penal-action-against-errant-landlords-read-order (last visited Mar 26, 2020).