This story is from August 14, 2020

Ahmedabad municipal corporation makes Covid coordinator mandatory for offices

If your company employs more than 30 people, appointing a Covid coordinator is now mandatory for you, according to the latest guidelines from the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). The coordinator will have to ensure that employees follow social distancing rules and wear masks.
Ahmedabad municipal corporation makes Covid coordinator mandatory for offices
The coordinator will have to ensure that employees follow social distancing rules and wear masks.
AHMEDABAD: If your company employs more than 30 people, appointing a Covid coordinator is now mandatory for you, according to the latest guidelines from the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). The coordinator will have to ensure that employees follow social distancing rules and wear masks.
If an employee tests positive for Covid , the coordinator will also have to provide a list of persons who had come in contact with that person.
Any violation or deviation from these duties will invite strict penalties for the coordinator including punishment under Sections 188 and 270 of the IPC and Section 3 of Epidemic Diseases Act.
Apart from malls and corporate offices, where offices can be reorganised to maintain social distancing, civic officials feel applying this rule will be challenge at informal markets and the many processing units of Ahmedabad, mainly in the northern, southern and eastern parts of the city. The decision to mandate coordinators was taken at a meeting chaired by additional chief secretary, forests and environment, Rajiv Gupta, who has been deputed to handle Covid situation in Ahmedabad, and municipal commissioner Mukesh Kumar.
Gupta claimed, “A combination of Covid management measures in Ahmedabad over the last three months has resulted in some improvement in the Covid situation of the city. However, during Unlock 3.0, some incidence of violation of social distancing guidelines has been noticed in the city, inviting stricter penal actions. For further prevention of the virus spread, it is important to ensure that social distancing guidelines are effectively followed in all offices, institutions and business establishments.”
Gupta claimed that all such establishments have been asked to immediately send details of the designated Covid coordinator to the respective zonal office of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). At establishments with fewer than 30 employees, the owner or manager shall be responsible.
Officials said that the decision was taken after AMC teams found staff sitting in offices without masks, next to each other. The rules will also be applicable for malls and in case of any violation the manager will be held directly responsible.
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