As part of its COVID-19 management strategy, the State government has issued orders to appoint Incident Commanders to monitor containment zones.
Five officers have been posted to the seven containment zones in the district. They include one zone in the city, two in the Belagavi urban agglomeration and four in the taluks.
The ICs will be empowered to close shops or establishments, factories, offices, education institutions, stop layoffs of workers and ensure their safety and to see that they get paid leave, enforce quarantine and isolation of those who returned from foreign countries, or shift them to institutional quarantine, prohibit gathering of more than five persons, stop festivals and gatherings of all religions, allow work from home for IT/BT, essential and critical services, stop movement of all vehicles, except medical emergencies or essential supplies, close inter-State borders except for exempted vehicles, and ensure closure of government offices except essential supplies and services.
These officers will relax restrictions on essential supplies and services, allow transport, storage and distribution of milk, water, foodgrains, vegetables, fish and meat, and fruits and allow their wholesale and retail shops to remain open subject to some conditions and timings. Petrol bunks, gas and other fuel, hospitals, drug stores, police and fire services, Panchayat Raj and urban local bodies, electricity, water, municipal services, notified government offices, banks, ATMs, telecom, phone, internet and other communication services, e- commerce, door delivery of food and other goods, print and electronic media, security services, all factories, offices and institutions necessary for COVID-19 management, and factories in continuous service mode.
The Deputy Commissioners, police commissioners or offices authorised by them can relax some provisions. Any individual, organisation or institution disobeying the orders will be punishable with jail term upto six months or fine of ₹1,000 or both. Action can be taken under Epidemic Diseases Act, and Disaster Management Act of IPC section 188.
As per an order issued by the Deputy Commissioner S.B. Bommanahalli, the Belagavi city commissioner is the IC for the Kasai Galli area inside the military cantonment; Belagavi tahsildar is the IC for Bilgundi and Yallur; Belagavi taluk panchayat executive officer is the IC for Hirebagewadi and Peeranwadi; Raibag tahsildar for Kudchi; and Hukkeri tahsildar for Sankeshwar containment zone.
