Delhi restores fine for not wearing mask at public places
Darpan News Desk IANS, 22 Apr, 2022 11:49 AM
New Delhi, April 22 (IANS) The Delhi government on Friday evening reimposed the fine of Rs 500 for not wearing the mask in public places with immediate effect amid rising Covid cases in the city.
In a notification issued this evening, the Health Department said: "A fine of Rs 500 for not wearing of face mask and cover in all public places in Delhi will be imposed from immediate effect till further orders in compliance of notification dated February 26, 2022."
However, the fine will not be applicable to persons travelling together in private four-wheeler vehicles, the notification said.
The decision has been taken as the positivity rate of Covid-19 infection has reported an increasing trend from last few weeks in Delhi.
The decision of reimposing the fine has come after the Delhi government on Friday released the Special Operating Procedure (SOPs) to prevent the spread of Covid infection in schools.
The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) had, in its meeting on Wednesday, decided to make masks mandatory in public places. The DDMA, after examining all relevant facts related to the penal provisions for not adhering to Covid-19 protocols of wearing masks in public places, decided to impose the fine with immediate effect.
After the Model Code of Conduct came into force in the state for the Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections, enforcement teams have seized valuables worth Rs 23.8 crore in violation of code, besides confiscating unaccounted cash till January 12, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Punjab S. Karuna Raju said on Thursday.
Channi expressed regret while participating in a virtual meeting chaired by Prime Minister Modi with Chief Ministers and Lieutenant Governors/Administrators of states and UTs to review the prevailing Covid situation as well as the ongoing vaccination drive.
Unveiling the first set of plans in his Punjab Model with focus on resurrection of Punjab, Sidhu, in the absence of Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and his Cabinet colleagues, told the media here: "Punjab Model is people's model, an effort to give a roadmap to return power to people."
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday said that he "personally" feels that alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in Punjab had cost the BJP heavily.
India on Tuesday recorded 1,68,063 new Covid cases, taking the total tally to 8,21,446. Although the fresh infections were 6.4 per cent less than Monday when the country logged 1,79,723, the weekly positivity rate has climbed to 8.85 per cent and the daily positivity rate has declined to 10.64 per cent. On the other hand, 4,461 Omicron cases were recorded from 28 states.
Delhi reported a 25 per cent surge in Covid-19 cases after recording 19,166 fresh cases. With this, the infection tally has climbed to 15,68,896. Meanwhile, the city has recorded 17 Covid deaths on the second consecutive day, pushing the death toll to 25,177.