As many as 89,562 people have been challaned in Gurugram for not wearing face masks since March when the lockdown was imposed, the police said on Friday.
The police also informed that fines amounting to more than Rs 4.47 crore were collected from the violators since March.
Reportedly in the previous month the city cops had also issued 22,817 challans against mask offenders across the district. Face masks were made compulsory for everyone in the city since lockdown and not wearing one was made a punishable offence.
So far the police have acted against people in markets and crowded places, shopkeepers, cabs, bike riders and auto rickshaws for carrying people, police said.
“To curb the number of corona cases in Gurugram, I have already issued strict directions to the force to implement corona norms effectively. During the festive session the several police teams were on their task to not only issue challan against offenders but to aware them about the seriousness of the deadly virus,” said K K Rao, commissioner of Gurugram police.
The police chief also informed that the force had encouraged people to use masks in markets and crowded places via loudspeakers. “The police patrolling vehicles across the district are also keeping an eye on offenders, the police will also distribute face masks among the people and urge them to maintain social distancing," Rao said.
Apart from police personnel, the district administration also authorised magistrates, tehsildars, naib tehsildars, BDPOs and executive officers of Municipal Committees to challan residents for violation of the guidelines issued under the Epidemic Disease Act.
"We appealed to the residents to stay indoors and not come outside unnecessarily. The police will also take prompt action against those who break Covid-19 norms," he said.
Meanwhile, on Friday, the district health department detected 793 fresh Covid-19 cases, taking the total to 42,618. Of this, 36,877 people have recovered.
The Covid-19 death toll has reached 256 in the district including three who died on Friday.