28-Day Paid Leave For All COVID-19 Patients In Noida; Factory, Shop Workers To Get Daily Wage For Lockdown Period

Employees of shops and factories which are shut due to orders from the state government or district magistrate will get paid for the period they are closed, an order from the District Magistrate read.

A medical staff checks on a ventilator of an intensive care unit at a newly inaugurated hospital. (Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP)

Noida: As the number of coronavirus cases in Noida continued to increase, in an order, the Gautum Buddh Nagar district administration has said that any worker or employee infected with coronavirus and in isolation for treatment will get 28 days of paid leave from their employers across Noida and Greater Noida. COVID-19 patients and possibly infected people who are in quarantine will get 28-day paid leaves from their employers, District Magistrate BN Singh said. Employees of shops and factories which are shut due to orders from the state government or district magistrate will get paid for the period they are closed, an order from the District Magistrate read. "In Gautam Buddh Nagar district, salaries under certain circumstances must be paid to the labours/employees during the lockdown. Else law will take its own course under the National Disaster Management Act 2005," Singh tweeted. "COVID-19 positive persons or possibly infected persons who are in isolation will be given 28-day paid leave after they produce medical certificates. Those employed at shops, factories and other units closed due to lockdown will also be paid," read the order from the District Magistrate. Singh on Saturday informed that 5 new coronavirus positive cases have been found in Noida. The order has come amid reports of thousands of daily wage earners leaving for their homes, towns and villages due to a 21-day countrywide lockdown called by the Centre. Singh said the Uttar Pradesh government has already declared the pandemic as a "disaster" and the lockdown has been called with an objective to contain the virus from spreading. Also Watch: Thousands crowd Anand Vihar bus terminal  Arrangement should be made by such establishments to dole out the payments to their workers and labourers on March 30 and 31 or April 3 and 4, depending on their situation to make the payment, the order stated. Singh said he has invoked the powers vested in him as the district magistrate under the National Disaster Management Act 2005 to issue this order and any violation of it would attract legal action against the offender. Action would be ensured against the offender under Section 51 of the Act which provides for one year of imprisonment or financial penalty or both and two years of jail if violation of the order causes any loss to life or property, according to the order. People can use the administration's integrated control room number (0120-2544700) to report any related violation, the magistrate said. Gautam Buddh Nagar has recorded 26 cases of coronavirus of which four patients have been treated and discharged till Saturday, a Health Department official said. The Noida administration had in an order passed on Saturday asked landlords to collect rent from their worker-tenants only after a month, amid reports of migrants undertaking the journey to reach their native places on foot during the nationwide lockdown.