The National Disaster Management Authority or NDMA under the Govt of India, has announced that it will not reinstate the provisions of Disaster Management Act for curbing the Covid-19 pandemic after March 31, 2022.
This is in view of the receding Covid-19 cases across the country. However, the Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla has notified everyone to compulsorily wear masks and maintain social distance even in the absence of any such Covid-19 induced restrictions.
NDMA to Revoke Disaster Management Act Starting April
On Wednesday, the National Disaster Management Authority, Ministry of Home Affairs announced that it would not put into action the provisions of the Disaster Management Act starting April 1, 2022.
Over the past two years, the MHA’s provisions were kept well intact to keep a check on the rising Covid-19 cases.
However, the falling Covid-19 cases since the past few weeks has led the NDMA to revoke the DMA provisions after March 31.
The country’s active Covid-19 caseload has fallen to 22,427 cases and in total about 182.23 crore vaccine doses have been administered until March 24, 2022.
Not reinstating the order effectively signals a return to full normalcy from April 1.
What Will Continue to Remain Post Removal of DMA Guidelines?
On a very basic understanding, removal of DMA provisions would mean that malls, shopping complexes and cinema halls will be allowed to function at full capacities, and states could also resume social gatherings and congregations.
Educational organizations like schools and colleges can start offline classes on a full-fledged basis.
States have also been directed to keep a strict check on the trajectory of case increase or decrease pattern in areas reporting positivity rate above 10% and bed occupancy more than 40% on either oxygen support or ICU beds, and implement containment and restriction measures in these areas, as per an Indian Express report.
“After taking into consideration the overall improvement in the situation and the preparedness of the Government to deal with the pandemic, NDMA has taken a decision that there may not be any further need to invoke the provisions of the DM Act for COVID containment measures.
Accordingly, after the expiry of the existing MHA order No.40-3/2020-DM-I(A) dated 25th February, 2022, no further Order may be issued by MHA,” read Bhalla’s letter to states and UTs.
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