To create public awareness to fight the coronavirus, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) authorities have formed three special squads for three different zones in the city.
“We have formed three teams for three zones comprising of three JDCs and two BMC Additional Commissioners. The teams headed by Enforcement Additional Commissioner (BDA) will monitor the Government order to close cinema halls, swimming pools and gymnasiums,” said BMC Commissioner Prem Chandra Chaudhary on Saturday.
They have been also directed to conduct random checks against hoarding of masks and hand sanitisers, he added.
Notably, the State Government has included masks and hand sanitisers under the Essential Commodities Act. As per the law, the medicine stores and departmental stores cannot keep these two items exceeding the limits. Chaudhary clarified that there are no instructions to shut functions like marriage.
“We are creating awareness among people to avoid public gatherings. We have no instruction for malls for closure. The instruction has been made to us for the cinema halls that we will regulate,” he said.
He also said BMC office employees would be asked to sanitise their hands or wash their hands with hand wash to be kept in place before entering the office.
Besides, awareness would be created among employees of private offices to take precautions against the deadly virus.
Action would be taken against people by slapping fines of Rs 500 for spitting paan at the BMC and BDA offices, Chaudhary said.