Powers have been given to Army commanders, area commanders, sub-area commanders to spend on work related to setting up of quarantine facilities & other services.

New Delhi: The Ministry of Defence has granted emergency financial powers to Army commanders, corps commanders as well as division or sub-area commanders to expedite procurement related to establishing and running quarantine facilities, among other things, to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

Army commanders will have the full financial powers, while corps commanders or area commanders can spend Rs 50 lakh, and division commanders or sub-area commanders can spend Rs 20 lakh on work related to setting up of quarantine facilities in their respective jurisdiction, according to the ministry’s Friday letter addressed to Army chief General M.M. Naravane.

The finances, which would be met from the defence budget, would include augmenting the isolation facilities with items, materials, equipment, stores, ration, hygiene chemicals, among others, as well as provision of other services needed for effective handling of Covid-19 outbreak.

In the letter, the defence ministry said the powers have been delegated for a period of three months from 27 March, and can be revised or extended, if need be.

Also read: It is war. Modi govt must deploy Indian military to fight coronavirus

Powers applicable in cases of military necessity

The ministry’s letter said the emergency powers have been delegated under “Schedule 23 of ASP in DFPDS-2016”.

DFPDS stands for Delegation of Financial Powers to Defence Services and ASP is Army Schedule of Powers.

Schedule 23 of DFPDS-2016 deals with emergency financial powers for procurement of stores, equipment, vehicles, hiring of special services, manpower, machinery or other expenditure connected with exercises or operations.

These powers are applicable in cases of urgent or immediate military necessities relating to military preparedness to meet eventualities such as a war-like situation, natural calamities, etc.

The idea of delegation of these powers is to expedite procurement, repair of equipment, items, material stores and provisioning of services urgently required for a successful operation.

Powers exercised during wars, calamities too

According to Schedule 23, these powers are exercised as and when the government notifies an event through an order declaring war, hostility, natural calamity or disaster or when the defence minister declares and orders military preparedness for emergency or other immediate military necessities.

It will also be applicable as and when a proposal, mooted by the service chiefs, is approved by the defence minister for immediate action to be taken in case of a series of incidents or when the Army is requisitioned for internal security duties.

Procurement powers under various heads vary and are enhanced in consultation with the Integrated Financial Adviser (IFA), who is from the Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA).

However, full powers without IFA’s consultation are extended only in emergencies or extraneous circumstances, a senior Army officer said.

Another armed forces officer, meanwhile, told ThePrint that the financial year is coming to an end and it’s unlikely that the forces would have any money left in the military coffers.

He said the grant of emergency financial powers would not mean much on ground unless additional funds are made available to the forces.

These funds, the officer added, could be given from unspent funds of other ministries.

Whenever the military is used for the purpose of helping the civil administration, the expenditure is raised to the central government to reimburse the amount spent in that connection.

This report has been updated to reflect the correct full-form of the abbreviations IFA and CGDA

Also read: There is a reason India turned to Armed Forces Medical Services when it came to coronavirus

Amit Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 25

Extending help to vagabonds, poor and needy people, Chandigarh Police personnel have come forward to provide them food during these hard days when they have nowhere to go. Various SHOs in Chandigarh are identifying such people in the area of their police stations to provide all possible help during the curfew imposed in the city.

A team of the Industrial Area police station, led by the SHO, Inspector Jasbir Singh, visited a 38-year-old visually impaired man, identified as Billu, a native of Bihar, who has been living under a tree in Sector 29 for the past two years.

Billu, an alumnus of Panjab University, is an MA and BEd, and has no one to take care of him.

Inspector Jasbir said he would be taking care of Billu by providing him food till the time the situation in the city returns to normalcy.

The police today got his hands sanitised and also got his surroundings cleaned.

A similar initiative has been taken by Inspector Narinder Patial, SHO of the Sector 26 police station.

Inspector Patial has identified eight persons living either in the market corridors or in the open, who are being provided food.

“On the first day, food was provided twice to five persons. However, today the number has increased to eight and I will look for more such people to extend help to them,” Inspector Patial said.

Interestingly, the food for these people is cooked by Patial’s wife Sonia. “I don’t feel any burden of cooking food for so many people. In fact, I am ready to help more people in the time of need,” she said.

Needy people at Sarangpur were also distributed food by the SHO, Inspector Ram Rattan.

A police official said these people were also provided masks and their hands were sanitised.

Meanwhile, other cops are also taking other initiatives at their end to ensure the safety of city residents from Covid.

In one such effort, newspaper vendors in Mani Majra were also provided masks and hand sanitisers by the SHO, Mani Majra, Inspector Jaswinder Kaur.

New Delhi: The Army has made a composite list of all those who retired in the last two years for possible recall if the need arises to fight the war against coronavirus.

Army sources said they are focusing on all those with medical expertise and specialised technicians.

The military has a system of recall by which it can ask all those who retired in the last two years to rejoin the forces and offer their services.

These kind of recall measures have been put in place as part of the steps to be taken in times of war.

“We have made a composite list. This basically focuses on those with medical backgrounds and those with technical expertise who can be recalled if the need arises,” a senior Army officer told ThePrint.

He added that the Commands have the required details of all these individuals.

“It is not that everyone will be recalled. It all depends on the need. For example, if there is a requirement in Chandigarh, a person from Kerala would not be recalled,” the officer said.

Retired personnel yet to be contacted

Asked if retired personnel have been sounded out, the senior officer said, “No, they have not been contacted. A two-year period of recall is something that every officer, JCO and jawan is aware of. Whenever a situation emerges, they know they could be called back.”

While initially, the military’s help was limited to just setting up quarantine centres for those evacuated from abroad, the government has started roping them in more in the fight against Covid-19.

The Indian military has identified six more of its hospitals to carry out Covid-19 tests and has also earmarked 28 other facilities across the country to exclusively deal with the outbreak.

Speaking to ThePrint, Lt General Anup Banerji, DG Armed Forces Médical Services (AFMS), had said that armed forces have been directed to augment medical resources for civil health set-ups too.

The military is also conducting four research projects on the coronavirus.

Also read: It is war. Modi govt must deploy Indian military to fight coronavirus

Dear Veterans ,

  Number of ESM organisations have again started fooling ESM and asking for donations into their accounts , directly on whats app, emails or through face book.

We all are aware that every ESM had donated during our fight for OROP either by cash,cheques,or spending from pockets for the buses. The total amount collected was  more than cores of Ruppees but till today no one knows where is that amount , how much collected in cash, by cheques and recieved from NRIs.

We equally know about the great threat of Cronavirus looming over our heads ,rather entire India and World. You can adopt any of the following way to contribute  financially so that it does not go in wrong hands.Though your motive is to help out no guarantee in whose pocket it will go as happened in the past

1. Send your cheques in favor of  Indian Govt ” Prime Minister Relief Fund” or to your own state  Govt” Chief Minster Relief Fund” to obtain satisfaction. All States are having CM Relief Funds like for Punjab CM Fund as below . Can be directly deposited . 

PRIME MINISTER RELIEF FUND OPEN CHALLAN FOR BELOW

PMNRF-CONTRIBUTION-CHALLAN_20190410112456

3.   PLEASE DON’T DONATE CASH TO ANY BODY IT IS ALSO SUGGESTED TO BUY IN KIND AND DISTRIBUTE TO POOR AND NEEDY : 

(A) MASKS

(B) MEDICINE AS PER PATIENTS PRESCRIPTION

(C) GREEN VEGETABLES FOR POOR

(D) FRUITS FOR THE SICK

(E) ATTA ,DAL, RICE, SALT, SUGAR,TEA ,MILK ETC AS YOUR WISH

HOWEVER DONATIONS FROM ABROAD CANNOT BE RECEIVED AS TRANSACTIONS ARE BANNED 

4. ONE OF THE MESSAGE BEING FLOATED ON FACE BOOK BY AN ESM ORGANISATION WHICH DE-FRAGMENTED ITSELF FROM ALL ESM ORGANISATION  AS OTHERS WANTED  ACCOUNTS OF DONATIONS COLLECTED IN CRORES.TODAY AGAIN AT ITS BEST TO HELP THE NATION LIKE AFTER RECIEVING  OROP DONATIONS

The latest cases have come over 10 days after an Army jawan in Leh tested positive for Covid-19 to become the first its victim in the 13-lakh strong force.

New Delhi: An Army doctor holding a Colonel rank posted with the Command Hospital in Kolkata, and a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) posted in Dehradun have tested positive for Covid-19 as the outbreak spreads through the country.

Both Army personnel don’t have any foreign travel history. However, both had visited Delhi during their leave period before returning to their respective locations earlier this month.

The latest cases have come over 10 days after an Army jawan posted in Leh tested positive for the virus to become the first victim of the disease in the 13-lakh strong force. He has successfully recovered since.

Also read: Overcrowded Agra jail releases 71 inmates accused of theft, robbery amid coronavirus scare

‘Following protocols’

Army sources said the coronavirus test reports of both the Colonel and the JCO arrived Sunday. Both had shown symptoms earlier this week and were immediately quarantined according to the protocols established.

The Army doctor, a 52-year-old anesthetist with the Command Hospital, had travelled to Delhi on 10 March and returned on 17 March. He reported fever since 24 March, said sources.

The JCO had a travel history from Delhi to Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan on 25 February and from Jhunjhunu to Chakrata in Uttarakhand on 10 March. He developed fever on 21 March, said the sources.

It was not immediately clear if the two personnel had interacted with anyone in Delhi who tested positive later.

“We are following the protocols and putting all those who came in touch with them in quarantine,” said an Army officer who didn’t wish to be named. He added that the immediate family members had been already alerted and necessary protocols issued.

The coronavirus outbreak has been a major concern for the military – Army, Air Force and Navy. The three Services have issued their respective protocols to ensure that the virus does not spread among the ranks.

The Indian military has identified 11 of its hospitals to carry out Covid-19 tests and earmarked 28 other facilities across the country to exclusively deal with the outbreak that has now infected over 1,000 people in India.

With inputs from Madhuparna Das.

— 

Army advisory says not disclosing Covid-19 symptoms, travel details or contact with suspected patient will be treated as ‘willful concealment’ & breach of discipline.

New Delhi: Soldiers failing to disclose possible Covid-19 symptoms, their travel details to an identified hotspot or even about their contact with a suspected patient will be tried under the Army Act, 1950, “for breach of discipline”.

An advisory issued last week by the Adjutant General’s branch stated that Army personnel should disclose to their superiors — either during rolls calls or during medical screening — if they have Covid-19 symptoms such as cough, throat pain, fever, breathing difficulties, their possible contact with any Covid-19 patient, friend or relative while on leave or temporary duties, or about their travel to a Covid-19 hotspot as identified by the government.

The advisory states that concealing any such information will put other troops in harm and thus the act will be treated as “willful concealment” and dealt with under the Army Act for breach of discipline.

The advisory comes at a time when India is facing a 21-day lockdown and the government is trying to control the Covid-19 outbreak with 942 cases in the country as on Monday morning.

Recently, the Kerala government suspended Kollam Sub-Collector Anupam Mishra who had jumped home quarantine after coming back from a holiday in Singapore. The 2016-batch IAS officer and his wife had left for his hometown in Uttar Pradesh without informing the district collector and health authorities, who had advised them to remain home quarantined for two weeks.

Army sources said any such non-disclosure of information related to the pandemic is likely to be tried under Section 42 (e) of the Act that deals with neglect to obey any general, local or other order. Concealing of venereal diseases is also tried under the same section, since the offence is not contracting a disease but concealing it, an Army source said.

Defence sources said the Navy and the Air Force, too, could take a similar decision soon.

Also read:Army starts Covid-19 testing in its hospitals, issues fresh guidelines to fight pandemic

Leaves to be regularised, soldiers to join nearest base after 15 April

Since the Covid-19 outbreak in India, leaves of military personnel have been extended up to 15 April. The advisory says the leave until this period will be regularised as per further directions.

It also states that personnel, after the extended leave period, will report to the nearest military station headquarters or unit if they do not have the means for authorised travel to their own units, and will be considered on duty. They will, however, need to be tested first.

The advisory also states that command headquarters will identify locations for setting up transit facilities for housing suspected Covid-19 personnel and establish travel arrangements at various points.

As per the advisory, troops kept in quarantine will be regarded as “on duty”. It also advises veterans to disclose their possible contact with any dependent or other family member who would have returned from a coronavirus-affected area.

As reported by ThePrint, the military has been following stringent drills to prevent coronavirus from entering its bases, from restricting entry of civil contractual staff to staggered attendance and meal timing of soldiers to prevent crowding.

The Army has reported three positive cases of coronavirus infection so far. The first case of Covid-19 was a 34-year-old jawan in Leh, following which the Army had quarantined all soldiers and colleagues of the jawan attached to the Ladakh Scouts Regimental Centre.

On Sunday, an Army doctor posted with the Command Hospital in Kolkata and a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) posted in Dehradun tested positive for Covid-19.

n interview to ThePrint, Rawat also says Quick Reaction Medical Teams (QRMTs) have been readied to mobilise at short notice to meet the requirements of civil administration.

New Delhi: The armed forces are ready to operate beyond the stated mandate and assist the nation in the fight against coronavirus, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Bipin Rawat has said, adding that this would not affect their operational capability.

His remarks in an interview to ThePrint come at a time when the government is increasingly utilising the resources and expertise of the Army, Air Force and the Navy to fight the coronavirus outbreak that has led to a nationwide lockdown of 21 days.

“We would like to emphasise that our main objective now is nation first – ‘Har Kaam Desh ke Naam‘,” he told ThePrint.

Gen Rawat further said the armed forces are mandated to provide assistance to civil authorities whenever requisitioned. “But we have decided to operate beyond our mandate and provide all kinds of assistance that we can provide, even if it causes inconvenience to our people, without compromising on health and hygiene issues,” he said.

The CDS, who is spearheading the military’s response to the challenges posed due to coronavirus, said the armed forces are in constant liaison with civil administration so that if there is additional requirement of assistance, they are able to respond effectively.

Asked specifically if the military should be deployed more in the war against coronavirus, he said, “Armed Forces are ready to operate beyond the stated mandate and assist the nation in the fight against coronavirus”.

Also read: It is war. Modi govt must deploy Indian military to fight coronavirus

Services strictly adhering to guidelines

Gen Rawat also said that the Services are strictly adhering to all instructions and guidelines being disseminated by the Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Health and its own medical authorities.

“Viruses do not distinguish a person in uniform from others, however, our personnel follow a disciplined regime and hence are less likely to be affected,” he said.

He said the Services have taken various measures like curtailing movement by cancellation of courses of instructions, restrictions on leave, work from home wherever feasible, social distancing and ensuring proper health and hygiene of all personnel and families.

This will help in preventing the spread of the virus.

Asked if the virus has impacted operational preparedness, he said the Service Chiefs are aware of their roles and tasks in maintaining operational preparedness at all times.

“This is their primary responsibility,” he said.

Medical infrastructure to be augmented

Gen Rawat also said necessary instructions have been communicated to augment medical facilities and infrastructure including increasing the capacity for surveillance and isolation facilities at military hospitals.

“Services hospitals have been kept on standby for establishing Covid-19 hospitals in high infection identified areas. Responsive and agile Quick Reaction Medical Teams (QRMTs) are ready to mobilise at short notice to meet the requirements of civil administration.

“Also, services of military hospitals and laboratories are extended to assist civil administration on requisition,” he said.

The CDS underlined that there is excellent synergy between all organs of the government and the three services are geared to deal with any challenge arising out of the current Covid-19 situation.

“It is important to follow guidelines that will prevent the spread of the virus amongst our citizens. Mass movement of people from areas that are witnessing higher numbers of infected people, to the lesser affected regions, will only compound the problem,” he said.

He added that under such conditions, one must appreciate that it is not business as usual.

“Everyone has to be prepared for some inconvenience that is caused due to imposed restrictions, for our safety and well being,” he said.

Without masks, the contractual sanitation workers of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) are being forced to use handkerchiefs and dupattas to cover their faces to stay ‘safe’ amid the spread of coronavirus in the city.

The workers’ union has been taking up the issue with the administration since the first few cases started being reported in the country. They have been demanding that a good quality face mask should be provided to the 3,000 safai karamcharis and attendants working at PGIMER.

Now, the workers have decided that since the time of crisis is here and the administration is not cooperating, men must cover their faces with handkerchiefs and female workers should use dupattas to avoid infections.

“First, we decided to sit on a dharna outside wards if proper protection gear is not provided to us. But, at a time when every individual is working to fight the disease, we cannot sit back and escape from our duties. Even though they (administration) are not listening to our genuine demands, we do not want to create any obstruction in rendering health care services,” said Shripal, general secretary of PGIMER’s Safai Karamchari Union.

Workers’ body anticipates devastating consequences

In a video message circulated among workers, the members of the union said they are trying to warn the higher-ups about the devastating consequences if even one person among them gets infected.

“We are not directly dealing with the patients. But we clean everything the patient touches. We are in a clinical setting all the time and at as much risk as a doctor or a nurse. Our situation is a prime example of how deep discrimination is rooted in our society,” Shripal added.

As for the reasons for delay in accepting their demands, union members said they are being told they are not dealing with the situation directly. “We are the same people who work in people’s homes as domestic help. Even in the times of curfew, people call us up for household work. Aren’t we at a risk of being infected or being carriers? People at the helm should be aware of this situation,” said Shripal.

Mandatory becomes optional

Earlier, he said, if a worker was seen working in any ward without gloves or masks, they would be penalised. The mandatory has now become optional, he added.

When contacted, Dr Jagat Ram, director of PGIMER, said necessary gear has been provided to the staff at the frontline for now, and they are in the process of providing adequate gear to the people not directly linked with Covid-19 operations.

“The people who require it the most have been provided for. People working in other areas will also be provided the necessary equipment soon,” said the director.