No legal action against CEOs of companies if employees found COVID-19 positive: MHA to States, UTs

Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday wrote to states and Union Territories (UTs) clarifying that no legal action would be taken against CEOs of companys in case employees were found COVID-19 positive.

"MHA had issued guidelines to allow some economic activities in non-containment zones and non-hotspot areas from April 20, advising social distancing and other measures needs to be followed. But there was confusion regarding legal liability on company CEOs if employees found COVID-19 positive. MHA has written to states and UTs in this regard and clarified misplaced apprehensions of industry associations and said that no legal action would be taken against company CEOs if employees found COVID-19 positive," said MHA spokesperson Punya Salila Srivastava, here during a press conference.

"No separate permissions are required from authorities for industries that are already permitted to operate prior to April 15, 2020, in areas falling outside containment zones," she added.

Srivastava informed that apart from 6 Inter Ministerial Central Teams (IMCT) constituted earlier, Home Ministry has today constituted four additional IMCTs, each headed by an Additional Secretary - level officer, to Ahmedabad, Surat, Hyderabad, and Chennai.

"The situation is serious, especially in major hotspot districts or emerging hotspots like Ahmedabad and Surat (Gujarat), Thane (Maharashtra), Hyderabad (Telangana), and Chennai (Tamil Nadu). The MHA has formed four more inter-ministerial central teams that will be sent to Ahmedabad, Surat, Hyderabad, and Chennai.

She said that IMCT team in Indore informed that out of 171 containment zones 20 are in severe condition. In Mumbai, IMCT suggested to increase COVID-19 testing and portable toilets in Dharavi.

( With inputs from ANI )

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