‘NATION WILL FIGHT COVID-19 WITH COLLECTIVE EFFORTS OF ALL CITIZENS’: LOK SABHA SPEAKER

New Delhi 20 March 2020: Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla today conducted an inspection of the preparations made in the Parliament House Estate to prevent the spread of Novel Coronavirus (COVID 19). On this occasion, Shri Birla said that “comprehensive measures have been made to contain the spread of COVID 19 within the Parliament House Estate.” He added that all officials and non- officials, including members of the media and visitors to the Parliament House Estate, have been sensitized to maintain proper hygiene and practice social distancing to prevent the spread of the disease. He said that awareness and restraint are key to prevention of the disease and hoped that the nation would fight COVID-19 with the collective efforts of all citizens.

Later, in a follow-up meeting held in his Chamber, Shri Birla directed officials of NDMC and allied agencies, working within the Parliament, to ensure sanitation in and around Parliament House Estate. He said that cleanliness and sanitation need to be given the highest priority and all equipments related to cleanliness should be well maintained. Shri Birla emphasized that extensive efforts shall be made in the coming weekend to clean and disinfect the entire Parliament House Estate.

Earlier, Shri Birla, while presiding over the proceedings of Lok Sabha today, observed that the Parliament stood with the nation in the fight against COVID 19. He endorsed Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s observations in his special address to the nation yesterday in which the Prime Minister had called for a Janata Curfew on Sunday, 22 March 2020. Shri Birla also said that, “The nation stands united in this moment of crisis.” Shri Birla added that there is no place for fear or panic and that all of us must remain careful at all times.

Shri Birla, in his tweet message, observed thati “it is imperative to exercise restraint and ensure personal hygiene to safeguard oneself from COVID-19. As Coronavirus has become a pandemic, the collective will & combined efforts of all of us, irrespective of political affiliations, will ensure good health & wellbeing of the people”

In this context, it is mentioned that Shri Birla had held a high level meeting with the senior officials of the Government of India on 17 March 2020 in order to review the necessary preparations needed for mitigation of the Novel Corona virus (COVID 19).