Return of Covid safety protocols

By Y. Maheswara Reddy | NT

With the surge in daily Covid cases, the State Chief Secretary P. Ravi Kumar issued an order making the wearing of face masks mandatory at all public places, workplaces and while using transport.

The other important decision is making spitting in public places punishable with a penalty as per the rules, laws or regulations by the local authorities. The order stated that individuals must maintain social distancing – a minimum distance of 2 feet – in public places.

Now the big question is - Are the BBMP authorities gearing up to enforce this order? If recent experience is anything to go by, it seems the BBMP authorities need will power, commitment and dedication. The need of the hour is to engage employees of state and BBMP Health Department and BBMP marshals to enforce Covid appropriate behaviour.

It is learnt that BBMP marshals have already enforced Covid appropriate behaviour at Kalasipalyam Market, K.R. Market, Yeshwantpur Market and Madiwala Market. “Our marshals have already begun to create awareness among the public about the importance of wearing face masks and maintaining social distance,” said BBMP Chief Marshal Col Rajbeer Singh.

Between March 2020 and March 2022, BBMP marshals have booked 6,49,888 people and collected Rs 15,74,85,380 as a penalty for not wearing face masks, booked 33,883 people for not maintaining social distancing and collected Rs 77,67,935 as a penalty.

The problem with the BBMP marshals and local police is over enthusiasm and the hurry in reaching the target fixed by higher authorities. All of us are aware how tough it would be for a daily wager or a street vendor to pay the penalty – either out of ignorance or negligence – for not wearing a face mask.

The need of the hour is to supply face masks free of cost and create awareness among the public on the importance of wearing face masks.

“I am of the opinion that BBMP marshals and police should not penalize the public for not wearing face masks. Poor and middleclass people have suffered a lot due to Covid pandemic. It will not be a right option to penalize people for not wearing face masks. There were occasions of BBMP marshals forcibly collecting a penalty from the public. I want such incidents to not recur in future,” said Sai Datta, a social activist.

Many opined that the BBMP Health Department should and must take measures to ramp up testing and give a second dose to those who are yet to get it. According to BBMP Special Commissioner (Health) Trilok Chandra, more than 3 lakh people in Bengaluru are yet to get the second dose of Covid vaccine.

“We are informing the people who are yet to get a second dose of Covid vaccine over the phone to have the second dose as early as possible. In the last two months, our health staff administered a second dose to seven to eight lakh people in Bengaluru,” said Trilok Chandra, adding that BBMP marshals will create awareness among the public on the importance of wearing face masks and penalize them if they fail to follow Covid appropriate behaviour.

The BBMP marshals have booked 11,927 people and collected Rs 12,27,285 as a penalty for spitting at public places from May 2020 to April 25, 2022.

Spitting at public places is a punishable offence under the Disaster Management Act. Though there are some irresponsible people who indulge in spitting at public places as per their whims and fancies, not many citizens do so. It is also a known fact that BBMP fails even to clear garbage overflowing from dustbins fixed on footpaths in different locations including some major roads.

“I never come across spit bins at most of the major roads in the city. In the absence of spit bins, it will be difficult for the authorities to implement the ban on spitting,” said Krishnamurthy S, a resident of Halasuru.