E-Paper
Tourists violating Covid-19 preventive norms in Nainital to be fined
According to officials, following the directions of Uttarakhand High Court, a district monitoring committee has been formed in Nainital for preventing further spread of coronavirus disease.
To check the spread of Covid-19 in Uttarakhand’s famous tourist hill town of Nainital during Christmas and New Year, the municipal body of town has decided to issue challans to tourists who do not follow Covid-19 preventive norms.
Tourists who do not wear masks or fail to maintain social or physical distance will be challaned.
According to officials, following the directions of Uttarakhand High Court, a district monitoring committee has been formed in Nainital for preventing further spread of coronavirus disease. The committee has given instructions to the police, administration and municipal bodies to strictly ensure that Covid-19 appropriate behaviour is followed in the upcoming tourist season.
Additional district magistrate, KS Toliya, has directed all civic bodies, including Nainital, Bhowali and Ramnagar Palika, Bhimtal, Kaladhungi, Lalkuan Nagar panchayat, to conduct a checking drive and challan tourists who do not follow the rules.
CS Martoliya, municipal commissioner of Haldwani-Kathgodam municipal corporation, confirmed the development and said, “We will conduct drives to ensure that tourists are wearing masks and following social distancing. Different teams have been made to check tourists coming from other states. If they are found to be violating the norms, they will be fined.”
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In August, the Uttarakhand government had announced that those not wearing masks in places will be fined between Rs 200-500. First-time offenders will have to pay a fine of Rs 200 and second-time offenders will have to pay a fine of Rs 500.
Uttarakhand has so far reported over 76,000 Covid-19 cases of which over 69,000 have recovered successfully. The positivity rate in the state now stands at 5.51 per cent and over 1,200 Covid-19 positive patients have died in the state so far. Dehradun district has so far reported the maximum Covid-19 positive cases (22,149) followed by Haridwar (12,295), US Nagar (10,410) and Nainital (8,799). The state health department has so far tested 13.96 lakh people of which results of over 16,900 are pending.
