Published 16:11 IST, April 8th 2020
BIG: BMC issues order making wearing of masks in public places in Mumbai compulsory
In a massive development, BMC has made it mandatory for residents of Mumbai to wear a mask in any public place including street, hospital, office, and markets.
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In a massive development on Wednesday, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has made it mandatory for residents of Mumbai to wear a 3 ply mask in any public place including street, hospital, office, and markets. Moreover, any person moving about in a vehicle too must wear a mask. These masks can be the ones available with chemists or homemade washable masks which can be reused.
Furthermore, any individual who violates this instruction can be punished under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code. Apart from this, a person not wearing a mask shall be strictly penalised and can be arrested too. The rationale of this move is to contain the spread of COVID-19. Currently, Mumbai has recorded more than 590 COVID-19 cases, the highest for any city in India.
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Read the order here:
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'Please wear a mask'
Addressing the people of Maharashtra earlier in the day, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray discussed the steps taken by his administration to tackle COVID-19. Citing that he and his ministerial colleagues had worn a mask at the recent Cabinet meeting, Thackeray asked people to follow suit. He noted that this was applicable to people leaving their homes. He also reminded the residents about disposing the masks in a proper manner.
Uddhav Thackeray remarked, "If you are stepping out of your home for buying essentials, please wear a mask. I'm saying this for your own safety You should be careful while using and disposing of the mask. One should not dispose of the mask in an open place. You can burn your mask after using it, but ensure that it does not trigger another crisis."
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15:34 IST, April 8th 2020