Delhi police to keep watch on social distancing, masks in popular markets during festive season
Loudspeakers at the markets, presently used to make security-related announcements and caution people about unidentified objects, will be used to disseminate information about masks.
Ahead of the festival season, Delhi Police have identified at least 300 markets where there could be a heavy footfall in the coming weeks, and have planned to deploy special teams to ensure people follow social distancing rules and wear masks in contain the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Senior Delhi Police officers said their teams that are presently issuing fines to people on the road for not wearing masks or violating social distancing norms, will soon be posted in markets with high footfall such as Lajpat Nagar, Chandni Chowk, Sarojini Nagar and Karol Bagh.
Loudspeakers at the markets, presently used to make security-related announcements and caution people about unidentified objects, will be used to disseminate information about masks.
Many markets in Delhi have active containment zones, where it is important to ensure all shoppers wear masks. Chandni Chowk in central Delhi has at least 13 containment zones, and Karol Bagh, also a popular market, which sees large crowds during festivals, has at least 26 active containment zones.
Containment zones are sealed areas where the free movement of individuals is prohibited to contain the spread of the infection. All residents are put under strict surveillance and are periodically screened.
A police officer from south Delhi, who did not wish to be named, said, “We will make the announcements real-time. At many markets such as Sarojini Nagar and Lajpat Nagar, we have watchtowers from where we spotted suspicious people. This year the towers will be used to check social distancing norms and crowds outside and inside shops. Issuing fines will be the last alternative. We will speak to the shoppers after watching their movement from our control room through CCTV cameras.”
A report prepared by the National Control for Disease Control (NCDC) has cautioned that there could be at least 15,000 Covid-19 cases per day in the upcoming winters and festivals. The report has been drafted by NCDC under the supervision of Dr VK Paul, Chairman of NITI Aayog Member (Health).
At present, Delhi is reporting about 2,551 new Covid cases on an average every day( daily average of the last 10 days).
Until Tuesday evening, Delhi had reported a total of 314,224 Covid-19 cases. 5,854 have died, 286,880 recovered and there are still 21,490 active cases. The city on Tuesday recorded 3,036 new cases, with a positivity rate of 5.52%, and 45 deaths.
Delhi police officers said the strict checks on the use of masks on the streets is working well because people are now wary about the Rs 500 fine. Police have to date (until Tuesday afternoon 4 pm), fined 386,188 persons and collected a total of Rs 19,30,94,000(19.30 crore) for not wearing masks.
“We have been taking several steps such as making announcements for wearing masks, follow social distancing, and washing hands regularly. These are being done through police vehicles and public address systems that are in place at crowded places such as markets. Our police staff present in such places apprise people about the three precautionary measures to fight coronavirus (Covid-19). For the violators ,we are issuing challans. For the needy, police is distributing masks,” said Delhi Police spokesperson Eish Singhal.
Health experts have said wearing masks and washing hands, when out in public, is the main precaution against the coronavirus disease . Police said apart from penalising those who do not wear masks, their teams will fine shopkeepers who are callous about social distancing norms.
“The fine for the first time is Rs 500. If the shopkeepers do not ensure social distancing, the fine is twice the amount. A case can be registered under the Indian Penal Code section if they continue to violate the norms. We will keep making announcements and request both shoppers and shopkeepers. It requires cooperation from their end mainly,” another police officer said.
Ashwani Marwah, general secretary of the Lajpat Nagar market welfare association, said they are in touch with the local police. “We have meetings regularly. We will follow all guidelines put in place by the government. We are working with police and will give them recordings that have to be played through the public address system. The PA system is monitored by the police. We will ensure there is no crowding in the market. Every shop has to have a thermal scanner and sanitising station.”
