Police form panels for emergencies in ‘next wave’

To gear up and tackle the next possible wave of COVID-19 cases, Delhi Police Commissioner S.N. Shrivastava on Saturday announced the formation of the district and thana-level committees for public healthcare emergencies.

Delhi Police, in a statement, informed that Mr. Shrivastava, during a crime and COVID-19 review meeting, said the committees will provide a professional response to situations arising out of public health emergencies, movement of migrant labourers, care for the destitute, elderly citizens and women, food or ration for the needy and hungry, and maintaining essential supplies.

The COVID cell at Police Headquarters will be upgraded to a public health emergency management cell, which shall function as the PHQ node for supervising these district and thana-level committees, it said.

‘Important objective’

“One of the most important objectives of these committees will be to work towards public acceptance of COVID-appropriate behavior and placing measures for systemic and voluntary adoption, thus minimising the need for coercive enforcement,” the statement read.

The CP said COVID-appropriate compliance can be ensured only when all citizens voluntarily observe it out of a sense of responsibility and duty.

“Police are to prosecute the violations, which should be the minimum occurrence and not a norm,” he said.