27 caught for not wearing masks in Ahmedabad

TNN | Updated: Apr 14, 2020, 11:08 IST

AMC officials said while most government officials and police personnel were wearing proper purpose-made masks, most members of the general public were wearing handkerchiefs.

AMC officials said while most government officials and police personnel were wearing proper purpose-made masks...Read More

AHMEDABAD: Ninety-six teams of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation caught 27 people for not wearing masks and collected fines totalling Rs 27,000. Most of these were caught in the walled city area, where cluster quarantine has been imposed after several Covid-19 cases were reported.
Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner Vijay Nehra had on Sunday issued a notification making the wearing of masks compulsory. Nehra said those who fail to wear masks will be fined for Rs 1,000 for the first offence and Rs 5,000 for subsequent offences.

AMC officials said while most government officials and police personnel were wearing proper purpose-made masks, most members of the general public were wearing handkerchiefs.
An officer said that in many cases the handkerchief was only tied around the neck and on seeing the Joint Enforcement Team rickshaws or the police, they would pull the handkerchief up to avoid paying the fine.
The officer said N95 or surgical masks are rare. Most people said that handkerchiefs can be washed but surgical masks, which cost between Rs 30 and Rs 100 have to be thrown away.
The official said, “The fear of the coronoavirus has made 90% of people wear masks on the road and while the fear of the fine was one aspect, most people were more concerned about the virus.”
Nehra tweeted: “Very encouraging reports coming from the field. Almost Universal Voluntary Compliance of the order wearing masks compulsory. Maru Ahmdavad is coming together to fight corona virus.”
The officer said that most teams, especially those in the New West Zone, could not catch a single person without a mask.