While the small scale shops are still trying to recover from the loss it incurred due to the pandemic, the situation itself has not become any better for the shopkeepers in Mangalore. The situation might get even worse for them with the recent decision made by Dakshina Kannada district deputy commissioner (DC) Dr Rajendra K V. The Mangalore City Corporation has decided to take strict actions against those who violate the mask rule, keeping in mind the rising number of Covid positive cases in the city. Also, action will be taken against the shops that do not follow Covid-19 safety guidelines in their business premises. Following this decision, MCC has already decided to serve notice to a shop in Car Street and cancel its licence for not following the Covid19 guidelines.
“The shopkeepers have to install an automatic sanitiser system in the front and encourage customers to use them. Health of all the employees should be checked every day and the shops should be sanitised every three days. Staff should be deployed in the front for subjecting customers to thermal scanning. If symptoms of fever are observed, their name, telephone numbers and address should be noted down and these particulars should be passed on to the health officer of their jurisdiction or city corporation. Immediately on getting this information, the city corporation or district administration should send the persons concerned to Covid care centres by ambulance,” DC stated.
Teams from the MCC conducted raids in several areas of the city to ensure that the people and the shops were following the guidelines properly. Those who were found violating the guidelines were penalised accordingly. The DC also mentioned that the fines in case of shops which are found violating rules relating to wearing of masks, social distancing etc they will be fined Rs 1,000 for the first offence, and the fine will go up to Rs 2,000 and 3,000 for second and third violations for which warning will be issued. If conditions are found to have been violated more than thrice, their licences should be cancelled. For this, the local bodies have to implement bylaws for the same, he instructed. Non-wearing of masks attracts Rs 200 fine in cities and Rs 100 in other areas.
These rules are necessary in today’s situation where there is a rampant spread of the virus. They are required so that we can try to control the pandemic which has succeeded to put many lives at hold. Even though it might be difficult now, we must follow them so that we can defeat the virus and continue to live on to witness tomorrow.
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