Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Impose New COVID-19 Norms On Shops

Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police held a meeting with representatives of different traders’ associations and has sought their cooperation for compliance of social distancing and mask norms in market areas.

“We are observing a tendency among some people who comply with the rules in our presence and then ignore them when the police aren’t around in the market places. Since it is difficult for the police to stand guard at a particular place all the time, we request everyone to follow social distance and mask norms,” Commissioner Sudhanshu Sarangi told The Times Of India.

Shop owners have been asked to dial 100 if they are not able to decongest their shops. Police have asked them to keep a waiting space outside their shops and give tokens to customers with numbers if possible.

Grocery and vegetable stores have been asked to strictly follow 3-4 metre social distancing between customers by painting circles.

Traders have also been asked to install public address systems and make regular announcements for customers to wear masks and maintain social distance. They have also been asked to keep staff outside to make customers wait and follow guidelines.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, on September 16, had expressed displeasure over increased violation of mask-wearing and social distancing norms. Following this, the Commissionerate Police has intensified norms enforcement and fined 16,333 people for social distancing violation and 2,702 persons for not wearing face masks in Bhubaneswar from September 17 to 23.