Lok Sabha speaker OM Birla has said all Members of Parliament and others willing to enter the Parliament during monsoon season, will need to undergo RT-PCR test to ensure safety in the ongoing covid 19 pandemic. Besides MPS, all the journalists covering the session and other officials will also undergo covid 19 screening.
The meeting chaired by Lok Sabha speaker, was held with officials of Union Health Ministry, AIIMS, ICMR, DRDO, and Health Department of Delhi and the decision was taken for upcoming monsoon season which begins September 14 and will go on till October 1.
“Necessary protocols are being prepared for members and their staff. Guidelines are also being formulated for Parliament officials. All guidelines pertaining to social distancing will be adhered to during session,” Om Birla tweeted on Thursday.
Further, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will operate in shifts starting at 3 pm and 9 am respectively. Random tests for covid -19 can be conducted, if required during the session. Apart from this, emergency medical teams and ambulances will also be positioned at the Parliament.
The houses will be equipped with necessary arrangements and modifications for zero-touch security checks and sanitization. These include, thermal guns, thermal scanner cameras to measure temperature, sanitizers, ultraviolet germicidal irradiation of the air-conditioning system, placards, seating plan and special cables to link houses.
Mr. Birla after meeting said, “Seating arrangement in both Houses [Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha] will be based on guidelines of the Health Ministry on COVID-19. Comprehensive arrangements have been made for holding the session.”
Accordingly, the members of Lok Sabha could be seated in the chamber and galleries of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha while elders could sit in both the chambers to attend meetings. 10 display screens are placed for live proceeding for members seated in galleries and other chambers.
He further tweeted, “A Test Laboratory will be set up in Parliament Estate. A health check up facility will be made available & ambulances services & emergency teams will be on standby. Sanitization & social distancing will be ensured in Chambers. All arrangements will be made to prevent infection.”