Jamshedpur: With COVID-19 cases rising, the administration is not willing to take any letdown on mini lockdown. The administration has relaunched the drive taking those violating social distancing into task. A team led by DSP Traffic Babban Singh took to streets to ensure that people comply to social distancing norms and wear masks.
The official warned the youths that maintaining social distancing norms, wearing masks and sanitising shops twice a day. “We are conducting surprise inspections of various areas,” he said.
The police have warned violators that FIRs under the Disaster Management Act and other sections of the IPC will be filed. An official informed that they are reiterating that if anyone found roaming without a mask will be booked under section 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of IPC. Persons over 65 years of age, persons with other diseases, pregnant women and children below ten years of age are advised to stay home except for essential services and health purposes.
The administration has urged people to cooperate with the district administration in preventing the possible spread of coronavirus. He further said that wearing a face mask, washing hands frequently and maintaining social distance are the only ways to avoid contracting the virus and also spreading it to others till COVID-19 vaccine is available. But people by not following these norms are displaying their negligent attitude, the official regretted.
“We had made it compulsory for residents stepping out of their homes to wear a face mask to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Section 179 of the Motor Vehicles Act stipulates Rs 500 fine for motorists violating rules and we are collecting fines from the violators,” said a traffic official. He went on to add that it is not their intention to collect more fines. They want to make people realise the necessity of wearing masks.
An official said that the COVID-19 infection can only be curbed when people follow social distancing norms in the true sense, and use masks as a habit. “ We are carrying drive regularly to instill a sense of fear too among the motorists. We have instructed the officers-in-charge at various police stations of the district to closely monitor the situation in market places to ensure observance of social distancing norms and strictly enforce the wearing of masks” noted the official.