Amid Covid Surge, Bhopal and Indore Authorities Crack Down on Those Breaking Safety Rules
[ad_1]
Read More/Less
Madhya Pradesh’s commercial capital Indore has reported 309 Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, prompting authorities to mount pressure on the public for adhering to safety norms. Reacting to the spiralling cases, district collector Manish Singh said enough efforts have been made to spread awareness among the people and now rules on masks and other measures will be strictly imposed and those found to be violating the norms will be sent to jail under section 151 (unlawful assembly of five or more people) of the Indian Penal Code.
“We have slipped into the danger zone so strictness is imperative now,” said Singh.
The district administration has already taken up stringent measures to deter violators. Continuing action against those breaching night curfew, authorities in Indore registered over 20 FIRs against commercial establishments including eateries, restaurants, shops, pubs, etc, which were open after 10pm on Thursday.
In a single day, about 2,600 locals were penalised for not wearing masks in the city, and over Rs 3 lakh was recovered from them in spot fines.
After December 25, for the first time the city has reported over 300 new cases in the past 24 hours with 309 fresh patients emerging, and active cases have surged to 1,960.
The administration is also planning to hike vaccination by administering 25,000 doses daily.
Participation of locals in social and religious events has been capped at 100 persons. Indore, once among the top ten cities most impacted by the pandemic, has till now reported 944 deaths due to the deadly virus.
The Bhopal district administration too has ramped up measures amid rising cases.
Collector Avinash Lavania on Friday formed eight teams to implement the safety norms and empowered them to slap spot fines on violators.
A breach of the mask and social distancing rules could attract a fine of up to Rs 500, violation of rules by those home quarantined could lead to a financial penalty of up to Rs 1,000 fine, and a fine of up to Rs 5,000 could be imposed on commercial establishments or private organisations over neglecting set guidelines.
The city has been reporting up to 200 fresh cases daily in the past few days.
Social and religious events have been permitted with only 100 participants while rallies, protests, and fairs have been banned till further orders.
Residential societies have also been asked to adhere to safety measures including masks, social distancing, etc.
Covid-19 cases are also on the rise in Chhindwara, adjoining Maharashtra, Ujjain, Jabalpur and Gwalior.
Despite a tough stand from the state government, observers say residents across the state aren’t too keen on safety measures and can be seen crowding and not wearing masks at public places.
As an added step, inter-state bus services between MP and Maharashtra will be suspended for ten days starting from March 21. Maharashtra travellers are required to furnish RT-PCR reports procured 48 hours before their arrival in MP.
[ad_2]