Police Commissionerate issues regulations to enforce social distancing; violators will be fined

Bhubaneswar: Police Commissionerate on Thursday issued a set of regulations to enforce social distancing in busy market areas to prevent the spread of COVID19 in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. Besides, it said that the violators will have to pay a fine of Rs 500 as per Section 96(d) of the Odisha Urban Police Act.

The twin-city police commissioner said that as there is a need to prevent spread of COVID19 pandemic, the following regulations are therefore put in place in the limits of the Police Commissionerate Bhubaneswar-Cuttack to prevent congregation of the people in busy market areas violating social distancing norms.

1. Social distance will mean a distance of 2 meters or 6 feet between any two persons.
2. All shops-owners/commercial establishments will put in place social distancing measures and will ensure that crowds are not formed within their premises or in their immediate vicinity violating social distancing requirements.
3. Owners of shops and commercial establishments in the limits of the Municipal Corporation of Bhubaneswar must strictly follow the order of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation and in case of Cuttack orders of the Cuttack Municipal Corporation regarding prohibition of opening of a particular category of shop and also stick to the opening times decided by the respective Municipal Corporation.
4. Buyers will also be liable for violating social distancing norms. They will be expected to maintain distance from others and behave in an orderly manner.
5. Owners of shops and commercial establishments will have the responsibility of reporting to the police about refusal of any buyer or a group of buyers to follow social distancing norms buy calling up Dial 100 or in any other convenient way. Not reporting to the police and allowing violation of social distancing norms on the pretext that byers are not cooperating will make the shop owner equally responsible for the violation.
6. All owners of the shops and commercial establishments, sales persons and employees will wear masks all the time.
7. No customers will be allowed entry into any shop without wearing a mask and they will be required to not remove the mask at any time.
8. All shops/ commercial establishment will provide for hand washing/ use of sanitizers.
9. No one will be allowed to enter any market area chewing gutka, tobacoo etc and not spitting will be allowed.

Penalty

Any offence by an owner of a shop/commercial establishment/employee/customer will be punished by a fine that may extend to Rs 500 as provided under Section 96(d) of the Odisha Urban Police Act.

Prosecution

An officer about the rank of ASI of Police will be empowered to impose a fine for compounding of nay offence under this regulation.

This regulation will continue for a period of sixty days unless revoked or extended.

Violation can be penalised by a fine up to Rs.500/- by ASIs & above u/s 96 (d) of OUP Act. The regulation comes into effect from 1st May 2020 and will remain in force for 60 days.

— COMMISSIONERATE POLICE (@cpbbsrctc) April 30, 2020