PATNA: The Bihar government on Thursday made it compulsory to wear masks or any face coverings while venturing outside amid the rising coronavirus cases. Those found violating the order will be booked under the Epidemic Disease Act-1897 and the Bihar Epidemic Disease-COVID 19, Regulations 2020.
The state government made wearing masks in public place compulsory to all with immediate effect after the tally of COVID-19 positive cases reached 153 on Thursday.
Principal secretary of health department Sanjay Kumar said, "It is not necessary to that masks have to be of a surgical kind. One can wear a home-made double-layered mask or clean multi-layered Gamchha also."
Kumar further added, "We must protect ourselves and others and for this collective action is what we need to take."
While addressing the media, he recalled that prime minister Narendra Modi had said that a gamchha can also be used for covering the face for safety from the infection of COVID-19. Soon after this advice of the PM, the craze for keeping the gamchha in Bihar got a fresh push among the people, especially the youths, who have started using gamchha for covering the faces. The state industry department has also placed order for one lakh of Khadi-clothe made gamchha to the weavers of Bhgalapur, Gaya and other districts.
A majority of politicians have also started using gamchha now in the state for covering their faces.