Wear mask in Ahmedabad or face Rs 5000 fine/3-year jail

In view of the rising number of coronavirus cases in Ahmedabad, the city civic body has made it compulsory for people to wear masks from Monday, failing which they would be fined Rs 5,000 or sentenced to three years in jail, an official said.

The order has been issued under the Epidemic Diseases Act in a bid to contain the spread of the deadly disease, Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner Vijay Nehra said on Sunday.

"From 6 am on Monday, everybody in Ahmedabad city municipal limits will have to wear mask mandatorily when going out in public places. Those found without masks will be fined Rs 5,000. Those who fail to deposit the fine will be jailed for three years," he said.

People can wear masks available in the market or those made from cloth, or even tie a handkerchief so as to cover the nose and mouth, he said.

The order will be applicable to all those venturing out in public places, including hawkers, shopkeepers and others, Nehra said, adding that he was hopeful of 100 per cent compliance with the order.

Ahmedabad reported 19 COVID-19 cases on Sunday, taking the total number of such cases in the city to 266, the highest in Gujarat.

So far, 11 people have died of the disease in the city.