Amid nationwide lockdown in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, the district magistrate of East Garo Hills has prohibited mobile video recording and taking pictures inside and within the hospital premises by unauthorized personnel.
The decision to issue the prohibitory order under Section 144 CrPC comes in view of the prevailing situation arising out of the Covid-19 outbreak and reports of several cases of fake news and rumour-mongering on the social media platforms.
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The district magistrate of East Garo Hills has issued the order “in view of the unnecessary mobile video recording or making of video clips or taking of pictures on the activities taking place in the Hospitals/CHCs/PHCs within the district” which may “give rise to unwarranted situations in the district due to misunderstanding of the true context”.
In the order, the district magistrate said “genuine cases of several different ailments of patients are sometimes portrayed in the wrong light in view of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic thereby causing panic in the general public by way of fake news/ rumours and whereas it may also post a security threat to the person concerned”.
“Now, therefore, I Swapnil Tembe, IAS, District Magistrate, East Garo Hills District, Williamnagar in exercise of the powers conferred upon me under section 144 CrPC do hereby prohibit Mobile Video Recording and taking pictures inside and within the premises of Hospitals/CHCs/PHCs by unauthorised personnel,” the order said.
