The foreign returnees can now leave for home quarantine after seven days. (File)
Chief Secretary of Delhi Government Vijay Dev has directed all concerned authorities to ensure that foreign returnees, who were quarantined in hotels and had to pay an advance of 14 days, are refunded their balance amount without any delay.
The move comes after the Union Home Secretary had written to all state chief secretaries saying: "Indians who were quarantined in hotels after their return from abroad were made to pay advance for 14 days. Since they can now leave after 7 days, the amount of rest 7 days is to be refunded."
"You are requested to issue necessary directions to hotels earmarked/used for institutional quarantine to ensure that foreign returnees who were quarantined in hotels and paid an advance for 14 days, should be refunded their balance amount without any delay," the letter read.
"It has been brought to the notice of this ministry that Indian nationals who were quarantined in hotels after their return from abroad were made to pay advance for 14 days. Since they can now leave for home quarantine after seven days, the amount paid by them for the remaining seven days needs to be refunded to them with some hotels refusing to do so," the letter added.
Following this, the Delhi government in its order said: "In exercise of powers conferred under section 22 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the undersigned in his capacity as Chairperson, State Executive Committee, DDMA, GNCTD, hereby directs all authorities concerned to ensure that foreign returnees who were quarantined in hotels and paid advance of 14 days, should be refunded their balance amount without any delay."