Collectors told to strictly enforce norms, levy penalties to break COVID-19 chain

Pointing to the lack of discipline among the public in the usage of masks and maintaining social distancing in recent times, Chief Secretary K Shanmugam said studies and observation in this regard showed that the mask compliance is less than 30 percent in the state. "In many public places, including markets, shopping malls, marriage halls, social and religious gatherings, the COVID etiquette and standard operating procedure (SOP) are not being followed strictly," he said in a letter addressed to the Collectors.

Chennai, Nov 28 PTI) The Tamil Nadu government on Saturday directed district collectors to strictly enforce the government norms on wearing face masks and maintaining social distancing and help break the COVID-19 transmission chain to retain the status of a model state in COVID-19 control efforts. In the process, the collectors could levy penalties on the violators at marriage halls, workplaces and other public places.

The state government had earlier announced the penalty for health protocol violations such as not wearing a mask. Pointing to the lack of discipline among the public in the usage of masks and maintaining social distancing in recent times, Chief Secretary K Shanmugam said studies and observation in this regard showed that the mask compliance is less than 30 percent in the state.

"In many public places, including markets, shopping malls, marriage halls, social and religious gatherings, the COVID etiquette and standard operating procedure (SOP) are not being followed strictly," he said in a letter addressed to the Collectors. A large number of persons gathered without masks and thus created an environment of the super spreader of COVID-19 and thus endangered the safety of other people.

The chief minister (K Palaniswami) has instructed the collectors to enforce strict discipline in the marriage halls or such places and as a deterrent even resorts to the closure of such premises which violate SOP, he said in the letter, a copy of which was made available to the media here. Individuals who are found not wearing masks and also the owner of marriage halls and parties who organise marriages but not observing SOP should be penalised, if needed, to enforce strict discipline.

Similarly, SOP should be enforced in shopping malls, workplaces, factories and shops, Also, he asked the district collectors to bring down the positivity rate below two percent through focused testing, reduce the death rate to zero and concentrate on post-COVID-19 management through awareness campaigns.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)