Govt needs to step up pressure to ensure mask compliance in MP

BHOPAL: Compliance to mandatory mask norm goes up when an atmosphere is created by the government and the administration that caution is still a must to contain the pandemic and as soon as they become lenient, people also start being negligent towards Covid norms.
When 14 new Covid cases were detected in Bhopal on November 30 putting both the state government and the district administration on the alert with the district collector raising the penalty for not wearing mask to Rs 500, the impact was felt the very next day with more people seen in masks on the roads and the markets, offices putting up "No mask, no entry" notice on the gate and students also seen in masks even after they had come out of schools and colleges and were returning home, at least in the new Bhopal areas.But, as days are passing without administration, police and BMC showing any urgency to enforce mandatory mask rule, leniency has started setting in among the people.
"I have read in the media administration saying at the time when Corona cases had dropped drastically that night curfew might not be necessary but it has a symbolic value, it keeps reminding people that the threat of Corona is still there. After the state government lifted all the Covid curbs and Corona cases also started receding rapidly across the state, people had stopped wearing masks though the cases have regularly been reported from Bhopal and Indore.
"We have always seen Indore and Bhopal taking the lead in spreading the virus both in the first wave and the second wave", said a doctor on the condition of anonymity.
But, the district collector may have raised the fine on those not wearing the masks but administration, police and BMC have not yet started the campaign to catch people without masks and penalise them. Moreover, they may not say it openly but they don't seem to have a go ahead for the purpose from the state government either.
Police says it's waiting for guidelines from the administration to start checking for masks and till that time. They are making public announcements requesting people to wear masks. The BMC staff says it is imposing spot fine for spreading litter and fogging is different localities to contain vector-borne diseases.
On Friday, it collected more than Rs 39,000 by penalizing 302 people across the city for spreading litter at public places and use of banned polythene. Though BMC spokesperson said that they are also checking for masks and social distancing but in the details given of how many persons were fined in which ward, there was none penalised for violation of Covid norms.
Spokesperson for the district administration, Arun Bhatt, said "We are being persuasive and not coercive right now. We are making public announcements, asking restaurants and shopkeepers not to sell goods to people who come without wearing masks. Police and BMC are also assisting in the task. "Roko Toko" campaign is also being run. Corona cases have also stabilised to 6-7 daily but if the cases start going up, checking will start and people violating Covid norms will be fined. We only hope that people exercise caution on their own and they don't have to cough up money unnecessarily."