Odisha enacts ordinance to enforce epidemic regulations, makes wearing face mask mandatory

Amid a spurt in COVID-19 cases, the Odisha government has promulgated an ordinance with a provision of imprisonment up to two years for violators of the epidemic regulations.

It has also come out with an order to make wearing face masks mandatory from Thursday morning, a violation of which will invite a fine.

Those found moving without face masks will have to cough up Rs 200 each for the first three occasions, which will increase to Rs 500 for every violation after that, Chief Secretary A K Tripathy said.

The order exempts children below two years of age and asthma patients.

The stringent measures came as the state witnessed a big jump in the number of COVID-19 cases to 44 from just five reported on April 1. The state has seen one death due to the disease.

The ordinance enacted late on Wednesday night amends a section of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, officials said on Thursday.

According to the Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020, anybody who disobeys any regulation or order under the principal Act is liable to face imprisonment up to two years or pay a fine of up to Rs 10,000 or be slapped with both.

"Every offence under this Act shall be cognisable and bailable," an official said.

The ordinance was brought as the state Assembly is not in session at present, he added.

It replaces section 3 of the main Act, which states that violating the law invites imprisonment for a maximum period of six months and a Rs-1,000 fine, an official said, adding that a clause has been inserted in another section of the principal Act.

Procurement of goods, services and equipment for prevention and control of an epidemic disease has been brought under the purview of the amended provision, which was not a part of the original 1897 Act, the official said.

In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, the state government implemented the Odisha COVID-19 Regulations, 2020 last month, using the main Act.

Meanwhile, the state government came up with a notification on Thursday, which made wearing face masks compulsory.

Though there is a shortage of N-95 masks in the markets, people may use a clean handkerchief or a piece of cloth with multiple folds to cover the nose and mouth while going outside, Odisha government's spokesperson on COVID-19 Subroto Bagchi said.

Another official said the experience of Japan containing the spread of the virus by using masks was taken into consideration while issuing the order.

"Wear simple face mask whenever you go outside to slow spread of #COVID-19. Use any cotton material like handkerchief or piece of cloth and prepare it as a face mask to cover your nose, mouth and chin," the state Health and Family Welfare department said in a tweet.

Reports said on Thursday, the police in Bhubaneswar let the violators go without paying a fine as many said they were not aware of the order. The policemen asked them not to venture out of their homes without a face mask.

A report from Ganjam, quoting District Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange, said traders and shopkeepers have been directed not to sell essential commodities such as grocery, medicine and vegetables to people not wearing face masks.

The traders in Berhampur, the biggest business centre of southern Odisha, have welcomed the order.

"We have been appealing to the buyers to wear a mask and maintain social distancing," Odisha Traders' Association president Rabindranath said.