Kerala to enforce mask rule again, violators to be penalised

A police officer helps a little girl wear her mask. Photo: Manorama Online.

Thiruvananthapuram: In response to the recent uptick in COVID-19 cases, the Kerala Government has decided to enforce with renewed vigour the earlier order on mandatory use of face masks.

The Kerala Police has ordered all its district police chiefs to ensure implementation of a state government direction to make wearing of masks mandatory in public and workplaces, gatherings and while using transportation.

In an order dated June 22, circulated to all district police chiefs "for urgent implementation and remarks", the police department has referred to an April 27 directive of the state Disaster Management Authority making it compulsory to wear masks in "public places, gatherings, workplaces and during transport" which is still in force.

The April 27 order also states that violation of the direction would be punishable under provisions of the Disaster Management Act. The offenders will be charged Rs 500 as fine.

The police department order comes in the wake of a gradual increase in the daily COVID-19 infection numbers and active cases in the state.

In the last week, the state reported close to and more than 3,000 cases daily and on Monday it had recorded 2,993 fresh infections, according to data on the Government of Kerala dashboard.

It is currently one of the states with the most number of cases nationwide.

Till June 27, the active cases in the state were recorded at 27,218 and the test positivity rate (TPR) on Monday was found to be 18.33 per cent, the data indicated.

The TPR average for the last seven days was 17.52 per cent, according to the data.

Earlier, the state had lifted Covid-containment measures on April 7, a fortnight after the Centre directed all states and Union Territories to consider the same.

The order issued by the government then had stated that the police will not be able to slap penalties for violation of norms. But it had urged people to keep observing COVID-appropriate behaviour, like wearing of masks and ensuring hand hygiene.

The restrictions had been in place in Kerala and elsewhere in the country since March 2020.

The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Onmanorama. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.