BENGALURU: Soon, Bengalureans will have to shell out Rs 250 for not wearing masks in public places. State Health Commissioner D Randeep has sent a proposal to the additional chief secretary (health), stating that the rule should be in force in BBMP and Bengaluru district limits. It is based on the recommendations of the Covid Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) in view of the increasing number of Covid cases in the city.
Reporting 4,682 cases, Bengaluru jumped from the third place to second in the country in the number of active cases. Mumbai is on top.
The ACS will submit the proposal to the chief secretary. This is because the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has discontinued using the Disaster Management Act for Covid containment measures since March 31, but a committee under the chief secretary has the powers to still use the Act to impose the fines.
On Tuesday, the state reported 968 Covid cases, including 887 from Bengaluru. The number of patients hospitalised is 81, including six in ICU. The state capital has 27 clusters and all of them are in apartments in Mahadevapura zone, where a lot of IT employees live. Of these clusters, 26 have less than five cases. Over the last one week, positive cases have been reported from Bellandur, Kadugodi, Dodda Nekkundi, Varthur, HSR layout, Horamavu, Hagadur, Hudi, Begur and Garudachar Palya wards.
TAC on June 6 recommended to the government to introduce the penalty clause for mask violations in the city within seven days, depending on the number of Covid cases. On June 10, the health department passed an order saying malls, hotels, workplaces and other closed spaces should deny entry to those not wearing masks. The mandatory masking rule without penalty has been in effect in the state since April 25.