JOIN USIAS officer 'skips' home quarantine in Kerala
An IAS officer in Kerala is in the dock for violating the instruction to remain in quarantine in connection with alert against coronavirus.
Anupam Mishra, sub-collector of Kollam district in south Kerala, allegedly violated the instruction to remain in quarantine as he returned from Singapore on March 18. Health workers found him missing from his official residence in Kollam on Thursday evening. When contacted over phone, he told health officials that he was with his doctor brother in Bengaluru and was in quarantine. But police traced his mobile phone location to be at Kanpur.
Kollam district collector B Abdul Nasar had reported the matter to the government and action is likely to be taken against him. He had gone without any permission or informing any officers. Since he violated the directive to remain in quarantine, it would be considered a serious violation. A case would be registered against the sub-collector, the collector said.
Meanwhile, the sub-collector was learnt to have maintained that he was under the impression that he needs to remain in quarantine in his own house and hence left for his native place.
Incidentally Kollam in the only district in Kerala where no COVID-19 cases were reported yet.
With many instances of people violating instructions to remain on isolation or observation being reported, the Kerala government was considering the option of fixing stickers at houses where people are kept in quarantine or observation.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan urged that violating directive to remain in quarantine or isolation would be considered serious. People should obey the instruction of health officials to remain on isolation for their safety as well as that of others, he urged.