New Delhi: The Ahmedabad civic body has made it compulsory for people to wear masks in public from April 13, failing to which offenders will have to pay a fine of Rs 5,000 or sentenced to three-year imprisonment, 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 to cover their nose and mouth, he said.
The order will apply to all those venturing out in public places, including hawkers, shopkeepers and others.
On April 12, Ahmedabad reported 19 new COVID-19 positive cases, taking the tally in the city to 266, the highest in Gujarat.
