Uttarakhand makes masks compulsory at public places; violators to be jailed for 6 months 

Amid rising Coronavirus cases, the Uttarakhand government passed an ordinance that imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 and jail term up to 6 months for not wearing masks in public places. The ordinance was passed after amendments in Sections 2 and 3 of the Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897. The state has also made quarantine rules stricter. The ordinance was approved by Governor Baby Rani Maurya on Saturday.

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State's quarantine rules

On June 8 as India entered the first phase of Unlock 1, Uttarakhand government issued a new standard operating procedure (SOP) regarding COVID-19 quarantine. Trivendra Singh Rawat-led government stated that the quarantine arrangements so made shall be duly intimated to the state government/district Nodal Officer on a regular basis. The notice further stated that all inbound persons from other states, irrespective of the mode of travel, shall mandatorily download and update Aarogya Setu mobile application.

"The Army, Air Force, Navy and other Paramilitary forces shall make their own arrangements for institutional quarantining of their officers, personnel and family members inbound from high load COVID-19 infected cities/ districts for 7 days followed by home quarantine of 14 days," the notice read.

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"There quarantine facilities shall meet the standards of the Ministry of Health. The quarantine arrangements so made shall be duly intimated to the state government/district Nodal Officer on a regular basis. All inbound persons from other states, irrespective of the mode of travel, shall mandatorily download and update Aarogya Setu mobile application," the notice added.

"However, in case of inter-state and intra-state movement for official purposes, Ministers of Government of India, Ministers of Government of Uttarakhand, Chief Justice and the Judges of the High Court of Nainital, all judges and judicial officers of district and subordinate judiciary of the state, MPs and MLAs of Uttarkhand, all officers of GoI, State shall be exempted from being quarantined. However, such individuals shall ensure compliance of all norms of safety and social distancing, as per the guidelines of MoHFW and MHA," the letter added.

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Coronavirus tally in Uttarakhand

The COVID-19 fatalities in the state have risen to 23 while 61 more people tested positive for the infection on Saturday taking state's total tally to 1,785.  A total of 1,077 patients have recovered, while 23 have died and eight others have migrated out of the state.

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(with PTI inputs)