Action against landlords asking doctors, paramedics to vacate

Officials asked to submit reports on such cases

27/03/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,BENGALURU

Following complaints that landlords and owners are asking doctors and paramedical staff to vacate their houses, the government has directed all district, city, and police authorities to initiate strict action against such people under relevant provisions of the law.

In a Government Order issued on Thursday, officials have also been asked to submit action-taken report daily to the office of the Additional Chief Secretary in the Home Department.

Additional Chief Secretary (Health and Family Welfare and Medical Education) Jawaid Akhtar said in the order, “We have received a lot of complaints from doctors, paramedical staff, and other health workers. The behaviour of landlords and house owners amounts to obstructing public servants in discharging duties. In this context, the government of Karnataka has issued the Karnataka Epidemic Disease (COVID-19) Regulations, 2020 under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 and Hyderabad Infectious Disease Act, 1950 for prevention and containment of COVID-19.”

Meanwhile, doctors and healthcare professionals are irked that although they are braving all odds to attend to patients during this crisis, people are treating them with disregard.

Expressing displeasure over the attitude by some house owners, U.S. Vishal Rao, chief of Head Neck Surgical Oncology and Robotic Surgery at Healthcare Global Cancer Centre, said the medical fraternity is going out on one limb to serve society. “In this hour of need, we need support from society. We have distanced ourselves from our family as we have put our life at risk. Society should stand behind us,” he said.