Prayagraj: The Allahabad high court on Monday expressed displeasure over non-adherence of rule on wearing face mask in Uttar Pradesh and directed some responsible police officer to inform the court as to why steps are not being taken to implement the directions contained in the previous high court order of March 1 on the next date fixed.
While hearing this petition, the court had March 1 directed the people to observe hundred per cent masking. Besides, the court had also directed the police to see that one and all wear masks.
In these directives, the court had made it clear that non-wearing of masks should entail penalties as have been enumerated in the Pandemic Act and other relevant laws. Besides, crowding should be stopped with immediate effect. The control of number of guests in marriages and other social functions, etc., should be observed and any violation should be strictly punished, the court had added.
In addition to the above, the court had directed that the schools and colleges where small children go should not be asked to start physical classes. If, however, for any reason schools are physically functioning then all guidelines issued by the state government should be followed in letter and spirit. Institutions where students above the 10th class have to compulsorily attend classes, it should be seen that they observe social distancing and that they also wear masks, the court added.
“Eateries should see that no food is served in the open, that is to say, people should take covered food in packets and should eat them at their home. Within the restaurants, tables should be laid in such a manner that social distancing is properly observed,” the court had directed.
During the course of hearing, the police department informed that so far as masking is concerned, in between March 1, 2021 and March 21, 2021, it had challaned only 1,192 persons for not wearing masks in the city of Prayagraj.
Chandan Sharma, advocate commissioner, also informed that almost nobody is wearing a mask.
Taking a serious note of these submissions, the division bench comprising Justice Siddhartha Varma and Justice Ajit Kumar observed, “This small number of penalisation shows that the police has also become complacent.”
So far as observance of the Covid guidelines in the High Court is concerned, the court directed the counsel appearing for the High Court to inform as to how guidelines would be followed.
The court has fixed March 26 for the next hearing of this PIL.