BMC to prosecute mask avoiders, quarantine jumpers as COVID-19 cases spike; 300 marshals to monitor Mumbai locals – NewsGater , NewsGater

Mumbai local trains. PTI

Mumbaikars caught breaking the rules of home isolation, weddings and public gatherings, as well as without masks, will be prosecuted, while buildings with five or more cases will be sealed, said Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, in a set of new directives issued Thursday.

The BMC has also decided to appoint 300 sheriffs to take action against passengers traveling without a mask on suburban trains. The order also ordered the number of sheriffs to be increased to 48,000 to capture 25,000 criminals each day.

In addition to the bailiffs, the police will also be able to act against violators. MCGM teachers have also been tied up to ensure the use of masks in MCGM-run buildings and take punitive action against violators.

Orders have also been passed to search marital halls, clubs, restaurants, etc., to ensure that COVID-19 the rules are followed. “Actions will also be initiated against the organizers and the administrations / establishments that fail to comply with the rules established for the organization of weddings,” the order said.

Passengers arriving in Mumbai from Brazil will be placed in mandatory seven-day institutional quarantine.

The order also said that the number of tests will increase in the rooms that will see an increase in the number of cases.

The new directives were announced after a video conference of all additional municipal commissioners, joint zone commissioners, deputy commissioners, and assistant commissioners from all district offices along with interested officials.

According to a statement issued by the BMC, compared to June-July 2020, the spread of coronavirus in the city it is still under control, however, strict surveillance is needed after the increase in the number of cases.

These are the highlights of the new directives issued today:

1. All asymptomatic patients who undergo home quarantine will be sealed and legal action will be taken if found leaving their homes. Ward War Rooms has instructed to closely monitor these patients by communicating with them through a landline 5 to 6 times a day. Those who violate quarantine will be subject to mandatory institutional quarantine.

2. Residential buildings with more than 5 COVID-19 patients will be sealed.

3. Wearing a mask is mandatory in wedding ceremonies, gymkhanas / clubs, discos, restaurants, movie theaters, all religious places, playgrounds and gardens, public places, shopping centers, as well as all private offices. Those who break the rules will be fined while the establishments and administrations will be processed.

4. Ward officials are instructed to raid and inspect at least five salons, wedding halls. Violations will lead to legal action against the wedding planners / parents of the bride and groom.

5. Measures will be taken against those who do not use the masks correctly and will spit in public places. The number of sheriffs in Mumbai will double to 4,800. The target for punitive action has been increased to 25,000 citizens from the current average of 12,500 citizens.

6. Three hundred bailiffs (100 bailiffs on each line) will be deployed to take action against unmasked commuters on western, central and port suburban rail services.

7. The Mumbai Police are now being empowered to take action against unmasked citizens. The police can also act as a bailiff, imposing fines on violators.

8. MCGM teachers will be deployed to all buildings, offices, hospitals, etc., administered by MCGM with powers to take punitive action against those who wander without masks.

9. Female marshals will be deployed along with male marshals to guard all places of worship. Roaming without a mask, gathering more than 50 people at a time, or any such violation will lead to punitive action.

10. Measures will also be taken against those who are in playgrounds and parks without masks.

11. At least 15 close contacts per COVID positive patient should be tracked and isolated, while area mapping has been recommended to assess the maximum number of people in wards with increasing numbers of COVID-19 cases.

12. Medical control camps should be organized with the help of NGOs to identify suspects in slums, narrow settlements and densely populated areas.

13. COVID 1 Care Center (CCC1) for high-risk contacts and COVID 2 Care Center (CCC2) for asymptomatic patients; at least one of the two centers will remain operational in each ward.

14. Adequate availability of regular beds and oxygen will be maintained at the Jumbo COVID Centers.

15. The Department of Disaster Management should update information on COVID-19 patients, bed availability and other necessary information from all public and private hospitals within MCGM’s jurisdiction by collecting it hourly through the dashboard.

16. All passengers arriving in India from Brazil will be required to undergo a mandatory seven-day institutional quarantine.