AHMEDABAD/SURAT/RAJKOT: As the
second wave of
Covid cases has stormed to state after
Diwali,
Gujaratis paid through their noses for throw caution to the wind. Between November 15 and Nov 22, Gujaratis paid as much as Rs 3.9 crore in fines for not wearing masks.
In total, 39,000 people across 33 districts of the the state were fined Rs 1,000 each. Rajkot city topped the list with an estimated 7,000 people caught not wearing masks in public. The city police and civic administration had launched an enforcement drive penalizing offenders following the spurt in cases after the Diwali festivities.
Saurashtra’s financial capital was followed by Surat, where 2,573 offences were registered and Rs 25 lakh collected in fines. Vadodara recorded 2,341 offences with fines totalling over Rs 23 lakh. Ahmedabad city, which was one of the worst places in terms of Covid-19 earlier this year, saw 2,089 people caught and fined for not wearing masks in public.
DGP Ashish Bhatia told TOI that as the night curfew continues in the four major cities of
Gujarat, strict instructions have been passed to not spare those venturing out without masks. Police have also been directed not to be lenient to people whose masks hang below their noses or mouths or have them hanging round the neck. “People have to understand that wearing a mask and maintaining social distancing is the only way to check the spread of Covid. Checking has been ordered at many points in all cities and districts to curb violation of the rules,” Bhatia added. Rajkot police commissioner Manoj Agarwal said the high number of offences registered indicates that cops have been doing their job well. Agarwal said a vigil is being maintained on
paan shops, tea stalls and snack shops, where people tend to take off their masks. “We have strictly directed people to take eatables home and not to eat in public,” said Agarwal. Certain districts have registered very few cases under the Epidemic Diseases Act. Botad has just 39 cases, the least, followed by Tapi (45) and Dang (54).
(With inputs from Surat & Rajkot)