States have been asked by Centre to invoke provisions of Section 2 of the Epidemic Disease Act, 1897 by means of which all advisories issued by the Union health ministry and state governments from time to time are enforceable
The act was introduced by the British to tackle the epidemic of bubonic plague that broke out in the then state of Bombay in 1897
The then Governor-General of colonial India had conferred special powers upon the local authorities to implement the measures necessary for the control of epidemics
Under the act, temporary provisions or regulations can be made to be observed by the public to tackle or prevent the outbreak of a disease.
Section 2A of the Act empowers the central government to take steps to prevent the spread of an epidemic. It allows the government to inspect any ship arriving or leaving any post and the power to detain any person intending to sail or arriving in the country.
Section 3 provides penalties for disobeying any regulation or order made under the Act
Section 4 gives legal protection to the implementing officers acting under the Act.
