Amid rise in COVID-19 in the maximum city, Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar on Tuesday distributed masks in the Dadar vegetable market and urged people to use them, sanitise their hands and maintain social distancing.
"We are aware that people have to come out of their homes for their basic needs including buying vegetables, that is why we came here to distribute masks and urged them to use them, sanitise hands and maintain social distancing," Pednekar said while speaking to reporters.
She also said that the awareness programme was conducted with the help of the Mumbai Police, as "people are more scared of police than BMC marshals." This comes following the spike in COVID-19 cases reported in Maharashtra during the last few days.
Owing to the spike in COVID-19 cases in the state, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said that the coming eight days will decide whether there will be a lockdown in the state.
In a video address, Thackeray said, "Do you want lockdown? The next eight days will decide. Maharashtra has reported around 7,000 COVID cases today. If the COVID-19 situation deteriorates, then we have to impose lockdown. Those who want a lockdown can roam around without mask while those who do not want it must wear a mask and follow all the rules."
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Sunday had collected a total fine of Rs 28 lakh from 14,000 people who were caught without face masks in public spaces. As per a statement, the total fine collected was Rs 32,41,14,800 and the total number of persons fined for mask violations was 16,02,536 as of Sunday.
