In view of the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic, the State Government made masking in public places mandatory and also announced a hefty fine of Rs 2,000 for violations. But it seems it has no effect on some people.
This was known from DGP Abhay’s disclosures on Thursday on the amount of fines collected in April for not wearing masks.
Abhay said a whopping Rs 5.24 crore-plus fine was collected mask rule violators in the State in April. He further said the police either fined or prosecuted around 1.5 lakh people during the month for violation of the mask-wearing norm.Moreover, the Odisha police collected more than Rs 5.66 crore of fine from people for not wearing masks and violating the social distancing norms. The DGP said it is the main job of police to ensure law and order and take action against offenders. But collection of fine for not following Covid protocols and mask-wearing norms are being done only in the larger interest of the people of the State.
Around 350 shops or other establishments were sealed for violation of the Covid norms.
While 418 persons were arrested for the Covid norm violations in April as many as 18,000 vehicles were seized and more than 1,300 excise cases lodged in April, the DGP informed.
“It has been observed that a substantial number of people are not following the Covid protocols. The number of Covid cases will decline in the State if people wear mask all the time,” he added.
